Rotating Grow Tower UV Sanitization in Indoor Gardening Appliances
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional indoor garden centers are limited to plant growth and occupy significant space, lacking features for additional tasks such as sanitization.
Innovation Solution
An indoor gardening appliance with a rotatable grow tower equipped with ultraviolet assembly for sanitization, allowing objects to be exposed to UV rays during a sanitization cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If indoor garden center is used for plant growth only, then plant growing function is maintained, but space utilization is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The indoor garden center is designed to perform multiple functions: plant growth and object sanitization. The UV assembly and rotatable grow tower enable the device to sanitize objects such as baby bottles, masks, and utensils, transforming a single-function appliance into a multi-functional one that saves space by combining gardening and sanitization tasks in a single device
2Adaptability or versatility
If UV assembly is added for sanitization, then sanitization function is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UV assembly is integrated into the existing indoor garden center structure, combining the sanitization function with the plant growth components. The grow tower serves dual purposes: supporting plants during growth cycles and holding objects during sanitization cycles. This merging approach adds sanitization capability without requiring a completely separate system
Solution Approach 2:
The grow tower is designed to be universally applicable for both plant cultivation and object sanitization. By using the same structural component for both functions, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated structures for sanitization, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity while maximizing functionality
3Reliability
If grow tower is rotated for sanitization cycle, then object exposure to UV rays is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grow tower rotation is implemented as a periodic action that occurs only during sanitization cycles rather than continuously. The system rotates the tower to expose different sides of objects to UV rays, then stops to allow sanitization to occur, repeating this cycle until the sanitization process is complete. This periodic operation reduces energy consumption compared to continuous rotation while maintaining sanitization effectiveness
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables sanitization of non-plant objects within the gardening appliance, enhancing its functionality beyond plant growth.
Implementation Method 1
activating the ultraviolet assembly such that the at least one object on the grow tower is illuminated by ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A method for sanitizing objects within a gardening appliance includes: positioning at least one object on a grow tower of the gardening appliance; during a sanitization cycle, rotating the grow tower such that the at least one object on the grow tower is exposed to an ultraviolet assembly of the gardening appliance; activating the ultraviolet assembly such that the at least one object on the grow tower is illuminated by ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet assembly; and after the sanitization cycle, removing the at least one object from the grow tower. A related gardening appliance is also provided.