Stackable Hydroponic Troughs with Removable Weirs for High Yield

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hydroponic gardening systems face challenges in achieving high yield production, ease of use, transportation, and maintenance while being cost-effective, making them unsuitable for widespread deployment without significant financial subsidies.

Innovation Solution

The system includes stackable and nestable troughs with a removable weir and reconfigurable cover plates, allowing for flexible plant arrangement, efficient fluid management, and easy maintenance, using advanced manufacturing techniques and materials to reduce costs and improve performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If hydroponic systems are designed for high yield production, then food output increases, but system complexity and maintenance difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood yieldVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into modular tiers with independent troughs, each capable of holding multiple plants. This segmentation allows high yield through increased plant density while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized modules that can be independently maintained and replaced.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The troughs are designed as multi-functional components that serve as both structural supports and fluid containment vessels. The same components provide multiple functions (support, containment, fluid distribution), reducing overall system complexity while enabling high yield through efficient space utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If hydroponic systems are designed for high yield production, then food output increases, but transportation and setup cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood yieldVSAvoidtransportation and setup cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The troughs are designed to nest within each other when not in use, significantly reducing transportation volume and cost. This nesting capability allows the system to maintain high yield potential while being cost-effective to transport and store, addressing the contradiction between production capacity and transportation cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is segmented into discrete, transportable tiers that can be assembled and disassembled independently. This segmentation enables easier transportation and setup compared to monolithic systems, reducing setup costs while maintaining the capability for high yield production through modular configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Stability of the object's composition

If hydroponic systems use fixed components, then structural stability improves, but ease of maintenance and reconfiguration decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidease of maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs dynamic connections between tiers through registered frameworks that allow controlled movement and adjustment. This dynamic design maintains structural stability during operation while enabling easy maintenance and reconfiguration by allowing components to be independently accessed, removed, and replaced without compromising overall system integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The hierarchical segmentation into tiers with independent access points allows maintenance personnel to service specific components without dismantling the entire structure. This segmented approach preserves structural stability through the registered framework connections while dramatically improving ease of maintenance through localized access to individual troughs and components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Volume of moving object

If troughs are designed for nesting, then transportation efficiency improves, but structural strength and stability decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransportation efficiencyVSAvoidstructural strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The troughs are engineered with nested capabilities that significantly reduce transportation volume and improve efficiency. The nesting design is implemented through carefully shaped components that fit within each other while maintaining sufficient structural strength through optimized geometry and material distribution, resolving the contradiction between compactness and strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The troughs utilize composite construction combining materials with different properties to achieve both nesting capability and structural strength. This composite approach allows the design to optimize for both transportation efficiency through nesting and structural integrity during use, addressing the contradiction between volume reduction and strength requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS20220110277A1Systems and methods for high-yield hydroponic gardening in challenging environments

Publication Date: 2022.04.14 LEVO INT INC

AI summary

Systems, apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture for hydroponics systems are described. In one embodiment, a containment vessel is provided with a removable cover and/or a separable weir.