Modular Plant Container Carrier Assembly Automation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current container systems for urban plant growth lack efficiency and automation in plant care operations, requiring significant user oversight and specialized knowledge.

Innovation Solution

A modular container system with a carrier assembly that moves along rails and grooves, allowing tools to perform operations like seeding, fertilizing, and harvesting within the plant growing chamber, reducing the need for user intervention and specialized knowledge.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual plant care operations are used in container systems, then user oversight and specialized knowledge are required, but this reduces farming efficiency and increases operational complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefarming efficiencyVSAvoiduser oversight requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automated plant care operations where the container system performs seeding, fertilizing, and harvesting operations autonomously through integrated tools and mechanisms, eliminating the need for continuous user intervention and specialized knowledge while maintaining high farming efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Manual mechanical plant care operations are replaced with automated mechanical systems including motorized tools, conveyors, and control mechanisms integrated into the container, transforming labor-intensive manual tasks into automated processes that improve productivity without requiring user expertise

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If automated tools are integrated into the container system, then plant care operations become more efficient, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplant care operation efficiencyVSAvoidcontainer system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple plant care functions (seeding, fertilizing, harvesting) are merged into a single integrated container system with shared mechanical components, control systems, and structural elements, achieving automated efficient operations while managing complexity through functional integration rather than separate independent systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The container system incorporates multi-functional tools and mechanisms that can perform various plant care operations using common components, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high productivity through versatile automated operations that serve multiple agricultural functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11839186B2Modular container for growing plants

Publication Date: 2023.12.12 CNH IND CANADA

AI summary

A container for growing plants includes a bottom wall, a first side wall extending perpendicular to the bottom wall, and a second side wall extending perpendicular to the bottom wall and parallel to the first side wall such that the bottom wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall at least partially define a plant growing chamber. Furthermore, the container includes a lid configured to selectively occlude access to the plant growing chamber. Additionally, the container includes a carrier assembly positioned with the plant growing chamber and movably coupled to the first side wall and the second side wall. Moreover, the container includes a tool coupled to the carrier assembly such that movement of the carrier assembly relative to the first side wall and the second side wall moves the tool within the plant growing chamber.