Patent Application
20220312688
Not Applicable.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The patent owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever
None
This disclosure relates generally to the field of horticulture, and more particularly, to indoor horticulture, and more specifically, to apparatus and devices for support of plants while suspended from an endless track trolley conveyor system.
Plant factories that grow plants in large quantities for sale are increasingly common. However, when cultivating plants in a plant factory, there is limited space available in which to grow plants, especially vine plants which, as they grow, become attached to or wrapped around support objects. When grown outdoors, such vine plants might become attached to stakes or wire, or become wrapped around trees or fences or the like. Also, in the case of fruit plants such as peppers, eggplants, and cucumbers, the weight of the fruit is heavy, and as a result, the growing stem of a plant does not grow straight, but grows inclined to the side. Thus, there is a need to address plant support issues when growing plants in a plant factory.
An object of the invention(s) disclosed herein is to solve the above-described problem, by providing a plant support cage assembly capable of supporting a plant in a configuration wherein fruit plants and vine plants can grow in a substantially upright manner.
Another object of the invention(s) disclosed herein is to provide a plant support cage assembly that can be detachably coupled to a trolley conveyor provided on the ceiling of a plant factory, so that the plant can be moved to a desired working location, or storage or growing location, or may be detached from the trolley conveyor.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a plant support cage assembly which may be used to neatly arrange branches that grow out of the lower part of the plant, so that the growing branches of a plant are neatly and aesthetically arranged.
It is an advantage that plants grown in the plant support cage assembly disclosed herein reduce labor for handling plants and picking fruit and vegetables grown therein or thereon, as the fruit or vegetables are easily accessed at a workstation when using a trolley conveyor for transport of such plant support cage assemblies.
It is an advantage of the plant support cage assembly disclosed herein are easily transportable on a trolley conveyor, for ease of movement in a plant factory.
The above objects and various advantages of the invention(s) as disclosed herein will become more apparent from the description provided and details of various embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.
A novel plant support cage assembly design has been developed and is described herein. The plant support cage assembly includes a planter receiving portion in which a plant container is placed, and in which plants to be grown are planted.
In an embodiment, the plant stem support cage may be provided using a plurality of vertically extending support elements which have affixed thereto a plurality of substantially horizontally oriented rings or hoops arranged at spaced apart height intervals. In an embodiment, the substantially oriented rings or hoops may be provided with a uniform diameter. In an embodiment, the vertically extending support elements may include, at the lower portions thereof, an inwardly turned lower portion, which is shaped and sized to provide a support portion for securely supporting a plant container in which plants may be grown. One or more planter support rings may be affixed to the inwardly turned lower portion of the vertically extending support elements. The planter support rings may be of smaller diameter than the diameter of the preferably substantially horizontally oriented rings or hoops. The lower ends of the vertically extending support elements may be affixed to a lowermost horizontal planter support ring.
Below the lowermost horizontal planter support ring, at least one coupling bar, with upturned end, may be provided. The at least one coupling bar(s) may be used for receiving stems of plants that are growing from the planter. In an embodiment, the at least one coupling bar extends outward in a horizontal direction. In an embodiment, the at least one coupling bar may be provided as a pair of coupling rods formed to cross each other in a “+” shape, and formed with an upturned portion at the ends, with the upturned portions extending upward in a vertical direction at both ends for a predetermined height. The upturned portions may be used to prevent the plant stems extending outward from extending substantially beyond the upturned portions.
At the top of the plant support cage assembly, a connector portion extends upward from and is connected to the vertically extending support elements. The connector portion may be provided in the form of one or more upwardly pointed V-shaped elements, where the lower ends of the V-shaped elements are connected to one of the vertically extending support elements. The connector portion is coupled by suitable device such as a hook to a trolley conveyor. The hook may be a component of a support coupling assembly which is used to attach a plant support cage assembly to a specific location along the length of a trolley conveyor. In an embodiment, the plant support cage assembly may be detachably coupled to the support coupling assembly.
In an embodiment, the plant support cage assembly may be detachably coupled to a trolley conveyor that is provided with a track along a defined path and supported from an overhead or ceiling support in a plant factory. A moveable endless chain unit is provided inside the track. With the trolley conveyor, a plant support cage assembly can be moved within a plant factory as necessary for planting, maintenance, growth, and harvest. The plant support cage assembly as described therein may be used to support various types of plants, including large plants with sizeable fruits and vegetable products, including peppers, eggplants, and cucumbers, which can be grown in an upward configuration, rather than in a sideways configuration, using the plant support cage assembly described herein.
The present invention(s) are described herein by way of exemplary embodiments, using for illustration the accompanying drawing in which like reference numerals denote like elements in the various figures of the drawing, and in which:
The foregoing figures, being merely exemplary, contain various elements that may be present or omitted from a particular final configuration for an embodiment of a plant support cage assembly for use with a trolley conveyor system. However, there is no intention to limit the claimed invention to dimensional data, and any suggestion provided by any of the drawing figures of this specification are exemplary rather than mandatory. Thus, the materials of construction, and the techniques and materials used for joining various components may be provided sized up or down from any dimensions depicted, without affecting the scope of the appended claims. An attempt has been made to draw the figures in a way that illustrates at least those elements that are significant for an understanding of exemplary plant support cage assembly for use with a trolley conveyor system, and particulars may be varied for specific situations.
It should be understood that various features may be utilized in accord with the teachings hereof, as may be useful in different embodiments, depending upon the specific requirements such as spacing between horizontal elements, or vertical space available between the trolley conveyor system and the floor below, all within the scope and coverage of the teachings herein as defined by the claims. Further, like features in various embodiments may be described using like reference numerals, or other like references, without further mention thereof.
Attention is directed to
A plant container receiving portion 110 is provided. The plant container receiving portion 110 may be formed by the inwardly sloping lower portion 130X of at least some of the vertical support elements 130, in combination with one or more plant container retaining hoops 110H. The plant container receiving portion 110 is sized and shaped for receiving therein a plant container 150 of complementary size and shape. The plant container receiving portion 110, which includes the inwardly sloping lower portion 130x of vertically support elements 130, may extend upward for a distance of H2. However, the design as described is only an example and the functional components may be provided in a variety of cage or mesh forms, whether of metal or other material capable of supporting the weight of the plant container 150. Thus, it should be understood that the plant container receiving portion 110 may be provided in various ways, and a final design may be selected according to the size of the plant container 150, or may be bent or narrowed according to the size of the plant container 150 to be used.
At least one coupling bar 160 is affixed to and crosses under the plant container receiving portion 110, and extends generally horizontally outward. In an embodiment, one or more of the at least one coupling bars 160 further includes at least one upturned end portion 161. In an embodiment, each of the at least one coupling bars 160 includes an upturned end portion 161. In various embodiments, the at least one upturned end portion 161 extends vertically.
The plant support cage assembly 100 further includes a plurality of hoop elements 120. In an embodiment, the hoop elements may be oriented in substantially a horizontal configuration. In various embodiments, any two of the plurality of hoop elements 120 may be spaced apart vertically by a distance h, as noted in
In various embodiments, a plant support cage assembly 100 may further include one or more connector portions located above and affixed to the upper end of the vertical support elements 130. In an embodiment, each of the one or more the connector portions 140 are provided in an inverted V-shape with first 1401 and second 1402 ends, and wherein the first 1401 and second 1402 ends are each affixed to one of the vertical support elements at the upper end 130U thereof. As seen in
In an embodiment, the plant support cage assembly 100 may be advantageously utilized with a trolley conveyor 200. In an embodiment, a trolley conveyor 200 may be provided having a stationary tubular rail track 210. The stationary tubular rail track 210 has a bottom wall 210B, inner sidewalls 2101 and 2102, and a slotted upper wall 212 defining an open slot 211 between upper end walls 2121 and 2122.
A trolley conveyor 200 is provided. A trolley chain with repeating units 220 is installed inside the stationary tubular rail track 210 for longitudinal movement with respect to the stationary tubular rail track 210. A trolley chain is made up of endlessly joined chain portions 220, with each chain portion 220 having a first chain unit 230 and a second chain unit 240. The first chain unit 230 further includes a first chain link 231 with body 231b portions and which has a pair of vertical rollers 231a rotatably affixed thereto for rotation on the bottom wall 210B of the stationary tubular rail track 210. The vertical rollers 231a and 241a are sized and shaped for ease of rolling action within the stationary tubular rail track 210, and more specifically, to ride along on the bottom wall 210B of the stationary tubular rail track 210. A bearing (not shown) may be provided between the vertical roller 231a and shaft 231c, and between the vertical roller 241a and the shaft 241c. The first chain unit 230 also so includes a second chain link 233 with body 233b portions and which includes one or more horizontal rollers 233a for rotation against at least one of the inner sidewalls 2101 and 2102 of the stationary tubular rail track 210. The horizontal rollers 233a and 243a are sized and shaped for ease of rolling action within the stationary tubular rail track 210. A bearing (not shown) may be provided between the horizontal roller 233a and shaft 233c, and between the horizontal roller 243a and the shaft 243c. The first chain link 231 and the second chain link 233 of the first chain unit 230 are pivotally attached each to the other at an intermediate pivot block 235, having horizontal pivot pin 235c and vertical pivot pin 235d there through, disposed for pivoting motion.
Similarly, the second chain unit 240 further includes a third chain link 241 with body 241b portions and which has a pair of vertical rollers 241a rotatably affixed thereto for rotation on the bottom wall 201B of the stationary tubular rail track 210. The second chain unit 240 also includes a fourth chain link 243 with body 243b portions and which includes one or more horizontal rollers 243a for rotation against at least one of the inner sidewalls 2101 and 2102 of the stationary tubular rail track 210. The third chain link 241 and the fourth chain link 243 of the second chain unit 240 are pivotally attached each to the other at an intermediate pivot functionally similar or identical to previously described pivot block 235 and has a having horizontal pivot pin and vertical pivot pin there through (omitted for drawing clarity), disposed for pivoting motion, as earlier described. Similarly, the first chain unit 230 and the second chain unit 240 are pivotally attached each to the other at an intermediate pivot 247 functionally similar or identical to the previously described pivot block 235 and has a having horizontal pivot pin 247c and vertical pivot pin 247d there through, disposed for pivoting motion, as earlier described. Likewise, sequential chain portions 220 are pivotally attached each to the other with end pivot blocks 237, utilizing horizontal pivot pins 237a and vertical pivot pins 237d.
Necks 231e and 241e extend upward from adjacent the trolley chain units 230 and 240, and extend upward between, with clearance from, and then upward beyond the slot 211 defined by upper end walls 2121 and 2122 in the slotted upper wall 212 of the stationary tubular rail track 210. The necks 231e and 241e then support one or more laterally extending attachment flanges 231d and 241d.
A plurality of hangers 260 are provided. Each one of the plurality of hangers 260 has an upper end 263. The upper end 263 includes downwardly extending connectors configured for attachment of the hangers to the one or more attachment flanges 231d or 241d. The hangers 260 have a lower end 265 configured to attach plant support parts 270 therefrom. A hanger body 261 extends between the upper end 263a and the lower end 265.
Plant support parts 270 provide apparatus for connection of the plant support cage assembly 100 to the hangers 260. The plant support parts 270 include body 273, which may be secured to hanger 260 by fasteners 275, and a coupler 271. The coupler 271 is detachably affixed to the connector portions 140 of the plant support cage assembly 100, so that the plant support cage assembly 100 is vertically suspended from the coupler 271 for transport via the trolley conveyor 200. In an embodiment, the coupler 271 may be provided in the form of a hook. In an embodiment, the plant support parts 270 may include a pair of bracket coupling plates 273, wherein the bracket coupling plates 273 connected to two adjacent hangers 260.
A first hanger coupling flange 231d is formed to extend a predetermined area horizontally from the upper portion of the first neck 231e and is coupled to the flange coupling plate 263 of the hanger 260. First fastening holes 231f are formed on both sides of the first hanger coupling flange 231d, and are coupled to the hanger 260 by the flange coupling plate 263 and the first fastening member 263a. Similarly, a second hanger coupling flange 241d is formed to extend a predetermined area horizontally from the upper portion of the first neck 231e and is coupled to the flange coupling plate 263 of another hanger 260. Second fastening holes 241f are formed on both sides of the second hanger coupling flange 241d, and are coupled to a second hanger 260 by a flange coupling plate 263 and another fastening member 263a.
As shown and described, the hanger body 261 of hangers 260 is arranged eccentrically on one side of the stationary tubular rail track 210 in a “C” shape. Thus, the load of the plant support cage assembly 100 is provided under the hangers 260, and may become eccentric, i.e. tends to load off to the side. Consequently, if the hanger body 261 is eccentric in this way, it was found that the chain 220 might be inclined toward one side of the stationary tubular rail track 210, and thus not move smoothly. In order to solve this problem, the chain 220 of the present invention provides a continuous chain in which the vertical rollers and the horizontal rollers are alternately arranged.
The substantially horizontal hoop elements 120 are provided to enable a grower to use the hoop elements 120 to reinforce a plant stem in the plant being grown, as seen in
In various embodiments, a plant container is accommodated in the plant container receiving portion 110 of the plant support cage assembly 100. In use, plants are planted in the plant container 150. The plant container 150 provides a structure in which water can be drained downward and out of the plant container 150. Soil is accommodated in the plant container 150, and plants are planted in the soil. In an embodiment, a plant container may preferably be provided in a material having as light weight as possible, since reduced weight will result in reduced power requirements for movement of the plant support cage assemblies 100 via the trolley conveyor 200. As plants grow, stems D (see
Attention is directed to
That is, the extending stems (D) may be wound and arranged in the space between the plant container support portion 110 and the plurality of vertical support bars 161. Accordingly, when the plant support cage assembly 100 is moved along the trolley conveyor 200, as shown in
Also, plants having large fruits such as eggplants and cucumbers can be cultivated using the plant support cage assembly 100, in the same manner as just described above. Also, various types of vine plants can also be cultivated using the plant support cage assembly 100 described herein. In the case of planting vine plants, the spacing between the plant stem support hoops 120 may be narrower, that is, they may be closely spaced a distance and thus be more dense, so that the vine can be stably supported.
More generally, the plant support cage assembly 100 allows a grower to grow plants while they are suspended from a trolley conveyor 200 in a plant factory, and allows plants to be moved around via the trolley conveyor 200. Importantly, the plants located in the plant containers 150 are not located on the ground, and thus the plants are allowed to grow while they are suspended in the air, and are from time to time transported via the trolley conveyor 200.
The trolley conveyor 200 is moved along, when desired, under the control of a control unit (not shown) of a plant factory to enable the grower to control the positions of a plurality of plant support cage assemblies 100, and thus control the planting, growing, and harvesting locations and conditions in a plant factory. As an example, the amount of sunlight (or artificial light) received by plants in the plant container in each of the plant support cage assemblies 100 may be equally adjusted, or varied as appropriate. Likewise, the plurality of plant support cage assemblies 100 may be periodically moved to a water supply area, where the plants may be watered as appropriate.
By use of the above described apparatus and methods, bulky fruits such as cucumbers, with otherwise unwieldy branches and stems, may be planted in plant containers on a plant support cage assembly, and coupled to the trolley conveyor 200, so that they can be grown under uniform growing conditions. This method, and use of the apparatus described herein, makes it possible to harvest fruits and vegetables of uniform quality.
In addition, when the growth is completed, and plants such as peppers, cucumbers, and eggplants need to be harvested, a worker may use the trolley conveyor 200 to move the plant support cage assemblies 100 to the place where a worker may pick and pack the ripened fruit or vegetables. This technique can greatly reduce the number of workers required, and thus reduce costs for the labor force required in a plant factory.
For further reference,
The endless chain unit 220 is driven by a chain driving unit (not shown). In an embodiment, a plurality of chain drive units (not shown) may be provided on the outer side of the stationary tubular rail track 210 at regular intervals so that the endless chain unit 220 is smoothly urged to move along in stationary tubular rail track 210. In an embodiment, such chain driving units may be provided using an electric motor to drive a geared mechanism to interface with the endless chain unit 220. A suitable control system may be utilized within the plant factory for control of the drive of the endless chain unit 220, as those of skill in the art will readily appreciate and be able to design and supply.
Although only a few exemplary embodiments have been described in detail, various details are sufficiently set forth in the drawings and in the specification provided herein to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention(s), which need not be further described by additional writing in this detailed description. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the details as described herein may be useful in supporting and moving plants, especially plants which grow with vines, for growth and movement in a plant factory, and as such may be modified from those embodiments provided herein, without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages provided.
Thus, the aspects and embodiments described and claimed herein may be modified from those shown without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages provided, and may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Therefore, the embodiments presented herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. As such, this disclosure is intended to cover the structures described herein and not only structural equivalents thereof, but also equivalent structures. Numerous modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention(s) may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Thus, the scope of the invention(s), as set forth in the appended claims, and as indicated by the drawing and by the foregoing description, is intended to include variations from the embodiments provided which are nevertheless described by the broad interpretation, scope, and range properly afforded to the plain meaning of the claims set herein.
