Support for hydroponic crops and raised substrate crops.

Abstract

Support for hydroponic and raised substrate crops, applicable to conventional trellises (1) intended to be installed horizontally at a certain height from the ground by means of a series of vertical tubular posts (2), a V-shaped trellis (1) in which an irrigation or water collection channel (3) is mounted, and on which a plurality of bags or pots (4), whether of the hydroponic basket type or for substrate crops, are intended to be supported, characterized in that it includes the following parts: a) A support rod (5), preferably made of corrugated steel, which defines a support fork on which one of the upper chords of the trellis rests and which includes a first vertical section (6), intended to be inserted into the upper end of the corresponding post (2), said vertical section undergoing a double bend defining a V-shaped lateral branch (7), its free end terminating in a horizontal bend (8), defining a seat for a) A cap-like piece (9), preferably made of plastic, that fits snugly into the upper opening of the post (2), and which includes a lateral vertical hole (10), formally and dimensionally suitable to the section of the support rod (5), as well as an inverted "U" shaped diametral notch (11) through which one of the lateral cords (12) of the lattice is passed before being inserted into the aforementioned post. b) An elongated zigzag metal rod (13), which is placed on the lattice (1), with a width equal to or greater than the width of the flowerpots (4) to be supported, and which has a slight fold along its central longitudinal axis, defining a "V" shaped cross-section surface with an obtuse angle. d) A piece acting as a stiffener (14), of a plastic nature, essentially elongated rectangular prismatic, at whose ends are established two arched recesses (15) that fit snugly into the parallel cords (12) of the mouth of the lattice.

Description

Support for hydroponic crops and raised substrate crops TECHNICAL SECTOR The present invention relates to a support for hydroponic and elevated substrate crops, which has been designed to improve and simplify conventional support systems using lattices used in this type of cultivation. The object of the invention is therefore to provide a stable, safe and easy-to-implement support that allows supporting both the hydroponic bags, pots or baskets with the plants and the irrigation or excess water collection channel. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known, in hydroponic and raised-bed cultivation systems, V-shaped trellises are commonly used. Waterproof sheets are placed on these trellises, allowing the water used to cultivate the specific hydroponic variety to circulate. In raised-bed cultivation systems, the water used to wash or drain the substrate circulates through these sheets. In both cases, a plant support system rests on the trellis. Plants are placed either directly on the trellis with bare roots in hydroponic systems, or indirectly in a substrate-filled container that supports the roots in raised-bed cultivation systems. These types of lattices must be placed at a certain height from the ground, supported by legs or posts of different shapes and sections, which act as support pillars for the structure, which are stabilized by nailing into the ground or by buried or surface footings, such as the one described in the utility model U201930611, which is owned by the applicant himself. To connect the columns and the lattice structure and provide support, the columns are typically linked to a metal bracket of varying shapes, either directly connected to or fixed to the leg or post. This bracket, or the leg itself, supports the lattice structure by simply bearing its lower chord, and the bracket limits the lattice's lateral overturning by embracing the upper chords. This support solution limits the overall strength of the structure and the spans that can be achieved. There are some systems that use lattices with larger cross-section cords, with the aim of achieving a greater span between legs, but the overall strength leaves much to be desired. There is also a known system consisting of a plastic tray placed on a lattice with larger cross-section cords, also supported on legs on its lower cord, and with a metal fork for transverse support, with which the assembly presumably gains some solidity with enlarged openings, although it is a complex and uninteresting solution. Finally, there are other systems, exclusive to multi-span greenhouses, where the lattice is hung from the greenhouse structure by means of cables and hooks, and with which wide spans are achieved with adequate solidity of the whole, although these systems are limited to this type of greenhouse that structurally allows hanging the cultivation system. In all known systems, the lattice is positioned with its central chord at the bottom and the two lateral chords in a horizontal plane above. Furthermore, the lattice is machined to separate the lateral chords, thus providing it with sufficient torsional rigidity. This machining adds to the cost of all known solutions. EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION The support system for hydroponic and elevated substrate crops that is advocated fully and satisfactorily solves the aforementioned problem, based on a simple but effective solution, lower cost, easier to assemble and with proven effectiveness, allowing wide spans between legs or posts, without the need to excessively enlarge the section of the lattice. To this end, starting from the conventional elements used for the implementation of this type of crops, that is, a lattice with a "V" section in which an irrigation or water collection channel is mounted, on whose upper base the bags or pots with the plants are intended to rest, a lattice that in turn is intended to be supported at a certain height by means of a series of hollow tubular posts driven into the ground or implanted on footings, the support of the invention is made up of four pieces that avoid the machining of the lattice and facilitate the assembly in a totally stable way. More specifically, the first component is a metal rod, preferably made of corrugated steel, which forms a support bracket upon which one of the upper chords of the lattice rests, while the other upper chord rests directly on the tubular post. This rod includes a first vertical section, designed to be inserted into the upper end of the corresponding post. This vertical section undergoes a double bend, creating a lateral "V"-shaped branch, and its free end terminates in a horizontal bend that defines the aforementioned seat for the lattice. Since the diameter of the rod will be significantly smaller than the inner diameter of the tube that constitutes the support post of the structure, a second piece, made of plastic, has been provided as a plug that fits snugly into the upper end of the post, and which includes a vertical and lateral hole through which the support rod passes, leaving it perfectly stabilized, said plug including an inverted "U" notch through which one of the upper chords of the lattice passes, stabilizing both elements. Since the lattice is not machined, the distance between the upper chords is much less than the normal width of the bags or pots resting on them. Therefore, to support bags or pots wider than the lattice and ensure their stability, the device includes a third component: an elongated, zigzag-shaped metal rod. This rod is equal to or greater than the width of the bags or pots it supports and has a slight bend along its longitudinal axis, creating an obtuse V-shaped cross-section. This bend prevents horizontal and lateral displacement of the rod, as it tends to self-center due to its own configuration. Given that the type of lattice used has a triangular prismatic configuration in which only two of its faces are reinforced by diagonal rods, leaving its upper face completely open, and given that in this invention the lattice is not machined to separate the lateral chords, it has been provided that the lattice can be stiffened by means of a fourth and final piece, of plastic nature, essentially elongated rectangular prismatic, at whose ends are established two arched recesses that fit snugly into the parallel chords of the lattice opening, acting as separators and preventing deformation of the lattice by giving greater rigidity to the assembly. In this way, lattices of smaller section can be used both in their chords and in their geometry, without the need to machine the lattice to open the mouth, with the consequent cost savings, the assembly being perfectly stabilized by virtue of the structure described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complement the description that follows and to aid in a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is included as an integral part of said description, in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a support for hydroponic crops and raised substrate crops made in accordance with the object of the present invention. Figure 2 shows a side elevation view of the lattice support rod that is fixed to the tubular post on which the structure is supported. Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the stabilizing piece of the supporting rod and one of the lattice chords on the tubular post. Figure 4 shows a view in an opposite perspective of the device in Figure 3. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the part in its stiffening function. Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the zigzag rod that is installed on the upper base of the lattice and that determines the support for the bags or pots. Figure 7 shows, finally, an enlarged and perspective detail of the installation. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In view of the figures described, and especially figure 1, it can be observed how the support for hydroponic crops and raised substrate crops of the invention is intended to allow stabilizing a conventional lattice (1) horizontally at a certain height from the ground, by means of a series of vertical tubular posts (2), also conventional, fixed to the ground by means of footings or by any conventional means, lattice (1) of "V" section, in which an irrigation or water collection channel (3) is mounted, and on which a plurality of pots (4) are intended to be supported, whether of the hydroponic basket type or of substrate crops. Well then, in accordance with the essence of the invention, the following parts participate in the support of the invention: • A support rod (5), shown in detail in Figure 2, preferably made of corrugated steel, which determines a support fork on which one of the lattice chords rests and which includes a first vertical section (6), intended to be plugged into the upper end of the corresponding post, said vertical section undergoing a double bend determining a lateral branch in "V" (7), its free end being finished in a horizontal bend (8), which defines the aforementioned seat for the lattice. • A plug-like piece (9), of plastic nature, which fits snugly into the upper opening of the post (2), and which includes a lateral vertical hole (10), formally and dimensionally suitable to the section of the support rod (5), as well as an inverted "U" diametral notch (11) through which one of the lateral cords (12) of the lattice is passed before being plugged into the aforementioned post, thus leaving the lattice and support rod perfectly stabilized to said post. • An elongated zigzag metal rod (13), shown in detail in Figure 5, with a width equal to or greater than the width of the bags or pots (4) to be supported, and which has a slight fold according to its central longitudinal axis, defining a "V" section surface of obtuse angle that tends to lock or self-adjust in the opening of the lattice, preventing its accidental horizontal displacement, a rod that allows supporting larger pots with lattices without machining of opening, with the consequent economic savings. • A stiffening piece (14), of a plastic nature, essentially elongated rectangular prismatic, at whose ends are established two arched recesses (15) that fit snugly into the parallel chords (12) of the lattice opening, giving rigidity to the lattice and thus preventing its deformation due to the load it is intended to support.

Claims

1. Support for hydroponic crops and raised substrate crops, applicable to conventional trellises (1) intended to be installed horizontally at a certain height from the ground by means of a series of vertical tubular posts (2), a "V" section trellis (1) in which an irrigation or water collection channel (3) is mounted, and on which a plurality of bags or pots (4), whether of the hydroponic basket type or substrate crops, are intended to be supported, is characterized in that it includes the following pieces: a) A support rod (5), preferably made of corrugated steel, which determines a support fork on which one of the upper chords of the trellis rests and which includes a first vertical section (6), intended to be plugged into the upper end of the corresponding post (2), said vertical section undergoing a double bend determining a "V" lateral branch (7),a) A cap-like piece (9), preferably made of plastic, that fits snugly into the upper opening of the post (2), and which includes a lateral vertical hole (10), formally and dimensionally suitable to the section of the support rod (5), as well as an inverted "U" shaped diametral notch (11) through which one of the lateral cords (12) of the lattice is passed before being inserted into the aforementioned post. b) An elongated zigzag metal rod (13), which is placed on the lattice (1), with a width equal to or greater than the width of the flowerpots (4) to be supported, and which has a slight fold along its central longitudinal axis, defining a "V" shaped cross-section surface with an obtuse angle. d) A stiffening piece (14), of a plastic nature, essentially elongated rectangular prismatic,at whose ends are established two arched recesses (15) that fit snugly into the parallel cords (12) of the opening of the lattice.