Apparatus and method for planting crops in fiber-free, non-porous and non-consumable substrates

Abstract

An apparatus and method for growing plants from seeds, seedlings, clones, rhizomes or young plants without the use of synthetic or natural fibers, fibrous media or porous media. The device comprises a flexible non-fibrous, non-porous structure for supporting seeds, clones, plants or rhizomes during plant growth while forming a boundary between the root and stem leaf regions of the plants. According to the device, efficient utilization of materials and wide coverage of the application range are achieved in single implementation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to novel devices, equipment, and methods for cultivating crops from seeds, seedlings, clones, plants, or rhizomes using reusable materials without the use of fibrous or porous media. Specifically, the present invention relates to a device that can cultivate seeds, clones, or rhizomes using non-woven, non-porous, non-fibrous materials made from synthetic, high-molecular polymers, which are not consumed during the cultivation process and can be cleaned and reused. Such devices are suitable for use in a variety of crop cultivation equipment and can be used in hydroponic systems in various orientations, including horizontal, vertical, and inclined. The methods of the present invention involve the use of such devices and equipment for planting, harvesting, and cleaning to prepare for reuse. Background Art

[0002] Hydroponics encompasses the field of growing crops using nutrient-rich water. It includes several specific subcategories, notably aeroponics, deep water culture (DWC), nutrient film technology (NFT), and ebb and flow systems.

[0003] Hydroponics typically relies on delivering nutrient-rich and oxygen-rich water to plant roots. Seeds are typically germinated in a fibrous or porous growing medium, such as soil, a soil composite with synthetic additives, or a natural or synthetic fiber woven or non-woven material, such as rockwool, peat, coconut coir, hemp, jute, phenolic foam, or polyester. Typically, after germination, the seeds, along with a portion of the growing medium, are inserted or transplanted into a hydroponic system for cultivation after the seeds have germinated and their roots have penetrated the growing medium. The growing medium provides structural support for the seeds during germination and further structural support for the seedlings as they grow.

[0004] It is important that the primary function of the growing medium is to absorb and retain water through capillary action to ensure that the seeds can germinate properly.

[0005] To date, all hydroponic systems for growing plants from seeds have used fibrous or porous media.

[0006] The limitations of fibrous and porous media are as follows: (1) Fibrous and porous media may be consumed during use and therefore constitute an ongoing economic cost during the cultivation process. For example, soil, natural fibers, and non-woven fibers such as rock wool require extensive reprocessing before reuse and cannot be cleaned or reused. (2) Synthetic woven fibers (e.g., polyester) require extensive cleaning to remove plant residues embedded in the fibers from previous growing cycles. (3) Synthetic fibers (e.g., rock wool and polyester) do not meet USDA organic standards or corresponding regulations in Canada, the European Union, and Asia and therefore cannot be certified organic. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention relates to a novel device, apparatus, and method for cultivating crops from seeds, seedlings, clones, plants, or rhizomes (hereinafter collectively referred to as "plants"). The device suspends seeds or plants in air, thereby distinguishing the stem and leaf system, plant, plant clone, or rhizome formed after germination from the root system. The device can be integrated into a variety of equipment and is suitable for use on horizontal, vertical, or inclined surfaces, or in polyhedral structures and annular cylinders. The method includes the steps of operating the device, including planting, growing, and harvesting seeds, plant clones, or rhizomes, as well as cleaning the device and preparing it for reuse. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] This patent or patent application document contains at least one drawing or photograph executed and / or taken in color. Copies of this patent or patent application document including color drawings may be provided upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

[0009] FIG1 (AE) shows five views, A to E, of an embodiment of the device.

[0010] FIG2 (AC) shows three different views of an embodiment of the device, namely a top view (A), a side view (B), and a bottom view (C).

[0011] Figure 3 A color example of one embodiment of the device in use with newly sprouted plants is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1-3, the device is constructed from a non-woven synthetic polymer material, such as silicone rubber, nitrile rubber, chloroprene rubber, vinyl, thermoplastic elastomer, ethylene propylene diene monomer, polypropylene, polyurethane, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate copolymer (ASA), and / or combinations thereof. The device is used to support seeds or secure plants at the base of the stem and / or the top of the root system, i.e., at the boundary between the stem and leaf system 5 (or stem and leaf zone) and the root system (or root zone). This boundary simultaneously defines two regions of the device: the area from which the plant roots can extend from the device, and the area from which the plant stem and leaves can extend from the device. The portion of the device that forms the boundary between the stem and leaf system and the root system can be composed of a flexible silicone rubber protrusion 1, a flap 2, or a combination thereof, as shown in Figures 1 (AE). During use, the device allows water supplied to either side of the device to flow toward the root zone, while retaining a small amount of water or nutrient solution inside the device through capillary action and surface tension.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 (AE) and 2 (AC), the protrusion 1, fin 2, or a combination thereof is secured by a first rigid support structure 3 and positioned opposite a second rigid support structure 4. The first and second rigid support structures 3 and 4 can be formed into any desired shape depending on the application, such as a straight or cubic shape as shown in Figures 1 (AE), or an elongated trough or tray-like structure as shown in Figure 2 (AC). The trough or tray-like structure shown in Figure 2 (AC) has a transverse length 6 of approximately 1 inch. This device can be extended to any length depending on the application, ranging from less than 0.5 inches to more than 20 feet in industrial applications. Similarly, as shown in Figure 2B, this device can be replicated along the right and left directions 7 and 8 to form a repeating array of channels. By extending and repeating the device in the transverse, right, and left directions, devices of various lengths and widths can be designed to meet different application requirements, suitable for horizontal, vertical, and inclined hydroponic systems. Furthermore, this type of structure can be designed into a variety of other shapes and sizes, including circular or ring-shaped structures and elongated, narrow vertical structures, adapting to a wide range of usage scenarios.

[0014] Compared to existing technologies in this field, the present invention significantly improves upon the unexpected discovery that the combination of protrusions 1 and wings 2 creates a highly efficient method for achieving the desired results. This combination significantly reduces the material required compared to previous attempts to secure seeds and plants using similar structures in similar devices. Specifically, by combining a wing 2 structure of a certain length with a protrusion 1 structure of a certain length, and positioning them opposite a rigid support structure 4, the present invention surprisingly enables a single device to support a wide range of seed and plant sizes. This contrasts with prior art, which typically employs short, high-density protrusions positioned opposite each other, or short protrusions positioned opposite wings. The inventors unexpectedly discovered that this combination is more than just a conventional optimization; instead, it creates a superior device suitable not only for supporting seeds with a width of less than 1 mm, but also for clones, growing plants, and even mature plants with stems approximately the distance between the first and second support structures 3 and 4. Therefore, compared to the prior art, this device offers a versatile solution with unexpected practicality. In addition, the spacing between the rigid structure (i.e., structural members 3 and 4) and the flexible member (i.e., protrusion 1 and wing 2) of the device makes the device easy to clean and also facilitates the removal of the plant with its root system intact. This convenient operation is possible because the flexible member formed by combining the wing structure and the protrusion structure in series can span a wider spacing than that of prior art devices while still applying sufficient support force to allow seeds, clones and plants to be stably suspended in the device. During the cleaning process, this larger spacing allows larger plant residues to be easily rinsed through the device, and the whole plant or part of the plant can be removed without causing damage. In addition, as shown in Figures 1 (AE) and Figure 3 As shown, the device can also be provided with an open end. The open end allows the plant that has entered the harvesting, transplanting or removal stage to slide out from the opening in the transverse direction, thereby achieving non-destructive removal.

[0015] Seeds can be placed on the stem and leaf side of the device, where the flexible member meets the second rigid support structure at position 5 in the figure. The seeds are placed there and are located on the protrusions that form the boundary. When the device is used to cultivate plant clones, rhizomes, seedlings, or plants, they should be inserted through the device's boundary area so that the roots of the plant are located on the root side of the device and the stem or leaves are located on the stem and leaf side of the device. The protrusions are appropriately spaced apart and made of a sufficiently rigid material to prevent seeds, germinated seeds, plant clones, rhizomes, seedlings, or plants from passing through the boundary area under their own weight. Similarly, the protrusions must also be made of a material that is flexible enough to allow the plant to grow through the boundary area and to avoid damaging the device or the plant when the plant clone, rhizome, seedling, or plant is inserted. When the seeds germinate, the new root system will continue to grow toward the root zone (water supply side), absorbing the nutrient-rich water provided therein; at the same time, the stem and leaf system will continue to grow toward the stem and leaf zone (air side), receiving light and being exposed to circulating air in this area.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present invention, plant clones, such as basil cuttings, can be grown using the device. The stem of the plant clone can be inserted through the device's demarcation zone, with the cut stem segment where roots are expected to develop positioned on the root side of the device. The segment is held in place by pressure exerted between the flexible protrusion 1, the fin 2, or a combination thereof and the adjacent rigid material 4.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, rhizomes of plants such as strawberries can also be cultivated using the device. The roots of the rhizomes can be inserted through the demarcation zone of the device, so that the root system is located on the water supply side (root zone) of the device, while the stem and leaf system is located on the stem and leaf zone side of the device.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device can supply water from the stem and leaf area side, so that the water penetrates into the interior of the device through the boundary area and then enters the root area.

[0019] Water can be supplied from the foliage side of the device during the initial planting phase, such as during germination of newly planted seeds, or throughout the planting cycle.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device is arranged relative to the ground in such a manner that water supplied from the stem and leaf zone side can be discharged into the device through the boundary zone and thus flow into the water supply side (root zone).

[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the device is arranged relative to the ground in such a way that water supplied from the water supply side does not significantly pass through the demarcation zone, but remains on the water supply side or is discharged from this side.

[0022] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the device can be integrated into a horizontal structure to perform hydroponic cultivation by deep water culture, nutrient film technology, ebb and flow system or aeroponic culture.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device can be integrated into a vertical structure to perform hydroponic cultivation using nutrient film technology, drip irrigation or aeroponic cultivation.

[0024] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the device can be integrated into a tilted structure to perform hydroponic cultivation using nutrient film technology, drip irrigation or aeroponic cultivation.

[0025] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the device can be used in conjunction with a nutrient-rich water source provided by a synthetic, natural, composite or hydroponic farming system for hydroponic operations.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, when the crops are mature and ready for harvest, a cutting tool may be used to cut transversely at the leaf region of the plant to separate the grown crops from the rest of the plant body.

[0027] According to another embodiment of the present invention, when the crops are ripe and ready to be harvested or need to be removed from the device, the plants can be slid out of the open end of the device in a transverse direction to achieve removal.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the present invention, after the edible portion of the crop has been harvested, the apparatus may be subjected to a high pressure water wash to remove any plant residues.

[0029] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the device is constructed of a material having UV resistance.

[0030] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the device is constructed of materials that are resistant to sterilization methods commonly used in the art, including materials that are resistant to heat sterilization and chemical sterilization.

Claims

1. A device for supporting seeds, seedlings, clones, rhizomes, or plants in a hydroponic system, comprising: a first rigid support structure having a first flexible component attached thereto via a connecting structure, wherein the first flexible member forms a boundary between an outer region and an inner region of the device, The inner area is proximal to the irrigation water source provided by the hydroponic system, and the outer area is distal to the inner area and the water source. wherein the first flexible member comprises: (a) a flexible wing extending from the connecting structure, or (b) a plurality of flexible protrusions extending from the connecting structure, or (c) a combination of the two, wherein the wing extends from the connecting structure and the protrusions extend from an end of the wing remote from the connecting structure, and The first flexible component of the device has sufficient support force so that during use, seeds, seedlings, clones, rhizomes or plants will not pass through the demarcation area under the action of their own weight.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first flexible component remote from its connection structure with the device contacts a second rigid support structure at one or more contact points, the second rigid support structure being disposed on an opposite surface of the device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the seed, seedling, clone, rhizome, or plant is positioned at or between a point of contact between the distal end of the first flexible member and the second rigid support structure.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first flexible member is comprised of a plurality of flexible protrusions extending from a connecting structure, and in, The seed placed in the device will be placed at one of the following locations on the protrusion: (a) a side area close to the connecting structure, (b) a side area away from the connecting structure, or (c) a point between the proximal and distal ends of the protrusion.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a second flexible member, the second flexible member comprising: (a) a flexible tab extending from its attachment structure, or (b) a plurality of flexible extensions extending from its attachment structure, or (c) a combination of the two, wherein the tab extends from the attachment structure and the extensions extend from an end of the tab distal to the attachment structure, and wherein the first flexible member and the second flexible member are attached to opposite surfaces of the rigid structure of the device, respectively, so that their ends away from their respective connection structures contact each other at one or more contact points, and A seed, seedling, clone, rhizome or plant is positioned at or between the contact point between the first and second flexible members.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein a seed placed within the device and positioned at or between the contact point between the distal end of the first flexible member and the second rigid support structure will germinate within the device upon contact with moisture.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein a seed placed into the device and positioned at one of the following locations on the protrusion: an area near the connecting structure, an area away from the connecting structure, or a point between the proximal and distal ends of the protrusion will germinate in the device after contact with moisture.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein seeds placed in the device and positioned at or between the relative contact points of the first flexible member and the second flexible member will germinate in the device upon contact with moisture.

9. A method for growing plants from seeds, seedlings, clones, rhizomes or transplants in a hydroponic system, the method comprising: The seeds, seedlings, clones, rootstocks or transplants are placed in a device for supporting their growth, the device comprising: a first rigid support structure having a first flexible component attached thereto via a connecting structure, wherein the first flexible member forms a boundary between an outer region and an inner region of the device, The inner area is proximal to the irrigation water source provided by the hydroponic system, and the outer area is distal to the inner area and the water source. wherein the first flexible member comprises: (a) a flexible wing extending from the connecting structure, or (b) a plurality of flexible protrusions extending from the connecting structure, or (c) a combination of the two, wherein the wing extends from the connecting structure and the protrusions extend from an end of the wing remote from the connecting structure, and wherein the first flexible member of the device has sufficient support force so that during use, the seeds, seedlings, clones, rhizomes or plants will not pass through the demarcation zone under their own weight, and The seedlings, clones, rhizomes or transplanted plants are oriented in the device in such a way that their root systems are basically located in the inner area of ​​the device, and their stem and leaf systems are basically located in the outer area of ​​the device.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising the steps of: (1) placing seeds in the device; (2) applying water to the seeds; (3) the seeds germinate in the device, and the germinated roots extend to the inner area of ​​the device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein a first portion of the plant supported by the device is removed by cutting, and the remainder of the plant is subsequently removed by pulling, flushing, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein no growing medium is used in conjunction with the apparatus.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a growing medium is used in conjunction with the apparatus.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein seeds having a width less than 1 mm will not pass through the demarcation zone under their own weight.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein seeds having a width greater than 1 mm will not pass through the demarcation zone under their own weight.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the device is used in a hydroponic system selected from the group consisting of a deep water culture system, a nutrient film technology system, an ebb and flow system, and an aeroponic system.

Images