WO2012117214A1 - Appareil hydroponique - Google Patents

Appareil hydroponique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2012117214A1
WO2012117214A1 PCT/GB2011/050421 GB2011050421W WO2012117214A1 WO 2012117214 A1 WO2012117214 A1 WO 2012117214A1 GB 2011050421 W GB2011050421 W GB 2011050421W WO 2012117214 A1 WO2012117214 A1 WO 2012117214A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
units
unit
plant
plants
growing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/GB2011/050421
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English (en)
Inventor
Mark GAMMAGE
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to PCT/GB2011/050421 priority Critical patent/WO2012117214A1/fr
Publication of WO2012117214A1 publication Critical patent/WO2012117214A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • A01G31/04—Hydroponic culture on conveyors
    • A01G31/047—Hydroponic culture on conveyors with containers inside rotating drums or rotating around a horizontal axis, e.g. carousels
    • 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 is in the field of crop cultivation through the method of hydroponics.
  • hydroponics there are several modes of cultivating crops using hydroponics as the method. These are: static solution culture, continuous flow solution culture, passive sub irrigation, flood and drain sub irrigation, run to waste and deep water culture.
  • the invention is a completely new method.
  • This invention relates to the method and apparatus for growing plants and vegetables in a controlled setting using and precisely controlling combinations of lighting, water, nutrients and carbon dioxide to produce ideal growing conditions to produce maximum possible growth and crop production
  • the invention consists of many trapezoid prism shaped units, a nutrients tray, a drive servo, two long geared rollers and separating cylinders.
  • the units connect together by hooks and arms. At the front of one unit are two hooks that connect to two arms on the back of the unit ahead of the said unit.
  • Each unit contains growing media in which to grow a crop(s) or plant(s) in. When systems of units are connected together they form a spiral with plants or crops facing the centre. In the centre of the spiral is a light source for the crops to grow towards and get there energy from.
  • On the outside (also the bottom edge) of each unit are teeth that fit onto the geared rollers. The outside edge is the longest edge on any unit.
  • the outside edge would ideally be curved to make a smoother transition over the geared roller when the geared roller encounters the joining of units.
  • Straight edged units will not cause a problem and will work in the same way as curved units.
  • Each unit can grow one or more plants or vegetables in them. Growing more than one plant or vegetable in one unit would be done to save space when growing small plants or vegetables.
  • the growing media can also be of any size as long as it is not larger than the unit it is contained within.
  • the nutrients in the tray is set to a specific level by having an outlet tube at the desired height. Nutrients in pumped into the tray at timed intervals to keep the tray full. When the units spiral around the light, as they reach their lowest position in the spiral they are dipped into the nutrients and nutrients is then absorbed by the growing media. The nutrient solution is taken in by the plant(s) or crop(s) because the roots grow into the growing media allowing them to take all the nutrients that had been absorbed in the growing media. The growing media should take in enough nutrients to feed the plant(s) or crop(s) before it gets dipped into the nutrients again on its next spiral.
  • separating cylinders are put onto the geared rollers to force a gap between the spirals.
  • the apparatus saves space through keeping the units as close as possible throughout the system by only using the separating cylinders as the plant(s) or vegetable(s) gets wider as the said plant(s) or vegetable(s) goes through the system.
  • a grub screw is used to stop the separating cylinder from moving. The grub screw will go from the outside of the cylinder towards the centre and will tighten onto the geared roller.
  • the geared rollers rotate slowly and are powered by a motor or servo. As the geared rollers rotate they drive the units spiralling around. A constant supply of units must be fed to the beginning of the system to keep it going.
  • Systems of units can be as long as are necessary or shorter systems can be stacked on top of each other and more units can be used to join the systems together. As the units come to an end on the top system they will join on to the beginning of the system below by hooking together the last of the top system unit to the beginning of the system below.
  • Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus.
  • Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus.
  • Figure 3 is a drawing of two units connected together.
  • Figure 4 is a drawing showing how systems of units can be stacked on top of each other to save space.
  • Figure 5 is a drawing showing how the geared roller connected to the bearing.
  • Figure 6 is a drawing of a plant or crop growing out of a unit.
  • the system includes plant or vegetable support units, a light system of which the units spiral around, a nutrients tray that the spiralling units will partially be submerged under, a long geared roller with larger cylinders attached to create gaps between the units spiralling around the light source and also to guide the units along the gears at either side of the larger cylinders, and a computer controlled servo to rotate the long geared roller which in turn will give control at which the speed of the spiralling units will go.
  • . 2 represent the Sight source that the plants and vegetables spiral around.
  • the light source is supported by 3
  • 3 is part of the nutrient trays front and back wails.
  • 6 houses a servo that drives the geared roller 1.
  • 4 is the rack on the outside edge of the unit. The outside edge is always the longest.
  • a rack 4 is a toothed edge that goes along the geared roller 1 , As the geared roller 1 turns, it moves the rack 4 along and round the light source 2, 7 holds the geared roller in place opposite the servo 6 and works with the servo 6.
  • 8 is an empty unit with no growing media.
  • 5 shows the joining of two units.
  • 22 is the back wall of the nutrients .ra .
  • 25 is the inlet pipe, nutrients in pumped through this pipe at timed intervals to keep the nutrients level constant.
  • the overflow pipe 24 which will take excess nutrients back to the pump to be reused.
  • 7 holds the geared roller opposite the servo (see Figure 5).
  • 20 is a unit at the end of the system. The next stage for the last unit is for the plant or crop to be taken off the unit so the unit can be reused back at the beginning of the system.
  • 21 is the end of the geared roller and is connected to 7 through a bearing (see Figure 5).
  • 4 is the rack on the edge of the unit. The rack is a toothed edge that sits on the geared roller.
  • 23 is the front of a unit. The front of a unit has two hooks (shown in figure 3),
  • figure 3 is a perspective view of 2 units connected together. Units are connected together through a hook 9 and arm 1 system. At the back of each unit there are two arms 15. At the front of each unit are two hooks 9 that attach onto the back on the unit ahead of the said units arms IS. On the top 13 of each unit are two bars 17. The bars 7 stop the growing media 10 from falling out of the unit when the unit is upside lown as it is in Figure 3. The unit is upside down when it is at the highest point of the spiral. As the plant or vegetable is grown in the growing media 10, this adds to the force pulling the growing media down when it is upside down so the two bars 17 are there to stop the growing media from moving. Similarly there are two bars 14 on either side of the unit.
  • the side bars 14 are there to stop the growing media, from moving forwards and backwards. There are two pairs of side bars situated at the front and back of the unit. The growing media must be the right dimensions to fit into die unit to stop any movement.
  • the side bars .1.4 and the bottom bars 17 are attached to the sides of the unit 29. The sides of each unit have cross supports 30 to strengthen the unit. On the bottom edge of the unit are teeth 4 (also called the rack) that fit. onto the geared roller. 13 is the top of the unit. 18 and 19 are part of the sides and they have two inward facing arms 11 and 12 on the ends. 11 is an arm at. the front, of the unit and 12 is at th e back of the unit. When the units are connected together 1 and 12 rest on each other. 16 is a part of the side that extends the rack and connects to the two arms 15 that the hooks 9 hook onto.
  • Figure 4 shows ho systems of spirals can be connected together.
  • System one is the top system in the Figure
  • system two is the middle system in the figure
  • system three is the bottom system, in the fi gure.
  • Units in this figure are represented as rectangles.
  • 26 is the first unit at the back of the system. It is the newes t unit to be added to the system.
  • 27 is a unit that has left the first spiral system, but not yet entered the second spiral system. As all three systems move the unit in-between system one and two 27 will eventually join system two and start, spiralling around the said system. The unit, leaving system two 28 has just finished on system two and eventually will join system three as all the spiralling units move along.
  • Each system has a light support 3 and a light source 2 in the centre of the spirals.
  • 7 is a drive system.
  • the drive system will consist of a servo that connects directly to the geared roller 1.
  • the servo will drive the geared roller 1 around which will then drive the units to spiral around and along the system.
  • 6 holds the geared roller in place at the opposite end to the drive system 7, 6 consists of a bearing attached to a metal plate (See figure 5).
  • a nutrients tray 22 at the bottom of each system is a nutrients tray 22.
  • the units spiral in and out of the nutrients tray partially submerging the units into the nutrient solution contained within die tray 22.
  • the separating cylinder 31 locks onto the geared rolier 1 through a grab screw that is tightened onto the geared roller 1.
  • FIG 5 a diagram showing how the geared roller fits into the bearing is described.
  • a smaller cylindrical end 33 that fits into the centre of the bearing hole.
  • the bearing hole and cylindrical end 33 are the same size to make sure they fit tightly together with no movement other than, the rotation of the said bearing.
  • the bearing 32 is mounted on a metal plate 6.
  • the metal plate 6 will also have a hole cut into it the same size as the bearing 32 to stop any movement of the bearing out of the metal plate 6. The metal plate is then attached to the nutrients tray.
  • FIG 6 a drawing showing a plant growing out of a unit is shown.
  • the drawing shows the direction of which the plant 34 grows out of a unit.
  • the rack 4 that will sit on the geared roller.
  • the plant 34 is grown in growing media 10.
  • the growing media 10 is big enough to support a p!.a t(s) or crop(s) roots until it is harvested as the growing media cannot be changed from the time it enters a. spiral system.
  • the best mode for carrying out the invention would be in a controlled environment. Lighting would be controlled to provide ideal growing conditions for different plants and crops at different stages of their growth. Nutrient solution would also be controlled for ideal growing conditions at different stages of a plant or crops growth. Carbon dioxide and humidity levels would be controlled to create an ideal atmosphere that promotes growth for different plants and crops.
  • the invention is intended for industrial use to grow plants and crops on a mass scale.
  • the invention will be able to supply many more fruits and vegetables using less space than conventional farming and current forms of hydroponics.
  • the invention will also be powered by means of renewable energy as this is the most cost effective way of powering the invention.
  • the invention will be able to produce many more fruits and vegetables than current forms of hydroponics and will use less space.
  • the apparatus is designed such as to save space. Hydroponic farming currently uses almost as much space as conventional soil farming. This is because they rely on sunlight for the plants to grow.
  • the apparatus described in the invention uses an artificial light source so plants and vegetables can be grown almost anywhere providing all the other environmental conditions are right.
  • the artificial light source can be changed to suit each individual plant or vegetable. For example different parts of the light spectrum are best for different types of plants. Blue spectrum light is great for leafy plants, such as Lettuce, Radish, or Collard. It also helps to keep the plant nice and compact, lights producing an orange-red spectrum are best for flowering plants, such as paper whites and iris. The orange-red light stimulates plants hormones, which makes for more flowering in the plant.
  • each system of spiralling units can be stacked on top of each other without blocking any light as they do not rely on light coming from above.
  • Plants and vegetables can also be grown quicker because artificial light can be on all day and night unlike the sun, because of this the plants and vegetables grown using this system have more time in the artificial light to grow rather than plants and vegetables grown under the sun where they stop growing when the sun sets.
  • All the lights used in the systems and all the servos used to rotate the systems will be powered by renewable energy such as solar panels and wind turbines. These forms of power supply would be easily attached to the roof of the building that houses the hydroponics apparatus. As power from the grid increases in price, it would not be cost effective to be used here from a business point of view so solar panels, wind turbines and other forms of renewable energy would be the primary choice.

Landscapes

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

Abstract

L'invention porte sur un appareil destiné à cultiver des plantes et légumes. L'invention comprend des unités individuelles (29) qui contiennent des milieux de culture pour cultiver une ou des plantes ou un ou des légumes (34). Les unités décrivent un mouvement hélicoïdal autour d'une source lumineuse centrale (2). Lorsque les unités en mouvement hélicoïdal arrivent au point extrême inférieur de l'hélice, elles sont partiellement immergées dans une eau riche en nutriments pour que le milieu de culture absorbe l'eau riche en nutriments qui ensuite alimente la ou les plantes ou le ou les légumes. L'eau riche en nutriments est contenue dans un bac (22). L'eau riche en nutriments est maintenue au même niveau par une pompe et par un tuyau de sortie (24) au niveau désiré. Les unités en mouvement hélicoïdal sont supportées par deux rouleaux à engrenage (1) qui sont alimentés en énergie par un servo (6). Les unités ont une crémaillère (6) sur le bord extérieur et elles coopèrent avec les rouleaux à engrenage. Lorsque les rouleaux à engrenage tournent, ils font tourner les unités en mouvement hélicoïdal.
PCT/GB2011/050421 2011-03-03 2011-03-03 Appareil hydroponique Ceased WO2012117214A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/GB2011/050421 WO2012117214A1 (fr) 2011-03-03 2011-03-03 Appareil hydroponique

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/GB2011/050421 WO2012117214A1 (fr) 2011-03-03 2011-03-03 Appareil hydroponique

Publications (1)

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WO2012117214A1 true WO2012117214A1 (fr) 2012-09-07

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PCT/GB2011/050421 Ceased WO2012117214A1 (fr) 2011-03-03 2011-03-03 Appareil hydroponique

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105284335A (zh) * 2015-01-07 2016-02-03 江苏省中国科学院植物研究所 一种调节德国鸢尾花期的方法
RU2592119C1 (ru) * 2015-01-23 2016-07-20 Федеральное государственное бюджетное научное учреждение Научно-исследовательский институт сельского хозяйства Республики Коми Способ гидропонного выращивания растений в животноводческом помещении и устройство для его осуществления

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2121263A (en) * 1982-06-10 1983-12-21 Arthur Henry Lange Hydroponic apparatus for growing crops

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2121263A (en) * 1982-06-10 1983-12-21 Arthur Henry Lange Hydroponic apparatus for growing crops

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105284335A (zh) * 2015-01-07 2016-02-03 江苏省中国科学院植物研究所 一种调节德国鸢尾花期的方法
RU2592119C1 (ru) * 2015-01-23 2016-07-20 Федеральное государственное бюджетное научное учреждение Научно-исследовательский институт сельского хозяйства Республики Коми Способ гидропонного выращивания растений в животноводческом помещении и устройство для его осуществления

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