Tilted plant growing system and method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hanging plant systems for tomatoes face issues with support, water retention, animal protection, and secure planting, particularly in container growing, with prior solutions being costly, inefficient, and prone to leakage.
Innovation Solution
A tilted container system using elongated suspension members to support plants, incorporating an optional water-permeable inner container, and hanging mechanism for secure planting and water reservoir, providing protection from animals without additional structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a container is hung vertically for plant growing, then the structure is simple and stable, but the plant cannot grow downward and water leaks out the bottom
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by making two opposite suspension chains longer than the other two, creating a tilted hanging position for the container. This asymmetric chain length configuration enables the container to tilt at a specific angle, allowing plants to grow downward while maintaining water retention through the tilted orientation that prevents water from escaping the bottom aperture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional vertical hanging approach by tilting the container at an angle. Instead of hanging the container vertically with the opening upward, the tilted configuration orientates the opening at an angle, allowing water to be retained while enabling downward plant growth through the tilted structure.
2Productivity
If a tilted container system is used to enable downward plant growth and water retention, then plant growth and water retention are improved, but the suspension system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses asymmetric chain length configuration to achieve the tilted position. By making only two opposite chains longer than the other two, the system achieves the desired tilt without requiring complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms, maintaining relative simplicity while enabling improved plant growth efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional vertical hanging containers are used, then the suspension system is simple, but animals can easily access the plants
Solution Approach 1:
The tilted container configuration created by asymmetric chain lengths provides natural protection against animals. The angled orientation makes it difficult for animals to access the plants and water, eliminating the need for additional protective structures like cages or fences, thus achieving animal protection without significantly increasing system complexity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If in-ground tomato growing is used, then plants have adequate support and protection, but the system is not portable and requires additional structures for support and fencing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional hanging container system that combines support, protection, and portability in one structure. The tilted container provides structural support for tall plants, protection from animals through its angled orientation, and portability through the hanging design that can be moved to different locations, eliminating the need for separate support structures and fencing required in ground-based systems.
Data Source
AI summary
The present hanging system for growing a potted vegetable plant to an extraordinary unsupported height is generally a tilted open-top liquid-impervious container with a rim adjacent the open top, and an optional soil-containing water-permeable inner container. The liquid-impervious outer container hangs from four elongated suspension members with two adjacent ones 3-9 centimeters longer than the other two so as to tilt the open-top water-impervious container when hung such that the plane of its bottom is tilted at an angle of 20 to 40 degrees from horizontal. The system also incorporates means to hang the container via the suspension members from an elevated structure.