Hexagonal Outer Pot for Plant Assembly Space Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional plant growing assemblies with round outer pots lead to inefficient space usage when plants are grown close together, resulting in entanglement and uneven lighting and humidification, as well as potential damage to leaves.
Innovation Solution
A plant growing assembly featuring a hexagonal outer pot top edge with parallel sides, allowing for a honeycomb-like arrangement that maximizes space usage and prevents entanglement, combined with an open bottom for optimal gas flow and support for plants with leaves growing in opposite directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If round outer pots are used for growing plants, then the plants can be easily manufactured and assembled, but the space usage becomes inefficient when plants are grown close together
Solution Approach 1:
The outer pot is designed with a hexagonal cross-section instead of a conventional round shape. This asymmetric polygonal form allows adjacent pots to be arranged in a honeycomb pattern, eliminating wasted space between pots and maximizing the growing area per unit floor space.
2Productivity
If plants are grown close together to maximize surface area occupation, then productivity increases, but plants become entangled and receive uneven lighting and humidification
Solution Approach 1:
The hexagonal shape with flat sides provides vertical surfaces that prevent leaves from overlapping and becoming entangled with adjacent plants, while still allowing tight packing. This geometric form maintains proper spacing and light distribution even at high plant densities.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer pot wall protrudes above the inner pot wall in the vertical dimension, creating a protective barrier that physically separates plants from adjacent pots. This vertical extension prevents horizontal entanglement of leaves while maintaining close horizontal spacing for high productivity.
3Reliability
If the outer pot wall protrudes above the inner pot wall to support plants and prevent entanglement, then plant protection improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support function is merged into the outer pot structure itself by extending the wall height, rather than adding separate support components. The protruding wall serves both as structural support and as a barrier preventing leaf entanglement, eliminating the need for additional support elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding outer pot wall performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for the plant, prevents leaves from extending beyond the pot, blocks entanglement with adjacent plants, and maintains even climate distribution. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional round pots are used, then manufacturing is simple, but empty spaces are created when pots are arranged adjacent to each other
Solution Approach 1:
The hexagonal cross-section with flat sides allows adjacent pots to fit together like a honeycomb structure, eliminating the curved gaps that exist between round pots. This geometric configuration maximizes space utilization with no wasted empty spaces between adjacent containers.
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
This configuration increases the number of plants that can be grown per square meter, reduces empty spaces, and ensures better support and even climate conditions for the plants, minimizing damage and enhancing growth efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
with an open bottom for optimal gas flow
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
The invention relates to an assembly for growing a plant. The assembly comprises on the one hand an inner pot (2) for holding a substrate (3) with a plant (4) growing in the substrate and on the other hand an outer pot (6). The inner pot (2) can be accommodated in the outer pot (6). When the inner pot (2) is placed in the outer pot (6), the wall (7) of the outer pot (6) protrudes above the wall (8) of the inner pot (2) in the vertical direction in order to support said plant (4). Viewed in the horizontal plane, the top edge (10) of the wall (7) of the outer pot (6) has a hexagonal shape with six sides (11-16) extending between adjacent corners (21-26). The opposite sides of the hexagonal top edge (10) in each case run parallel to one another. The invention furthermore relates to a plurality of such adjacent assemblies and to a method for growing a plant.