# US 11,298,655 B2 · Wall-mounted plant-based air purification system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,655 B2 - Document ID: US11298655B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/184,897 - Filed: 2018-11-08 - Published: 2019-05-09 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-08 - Assignees: Biome Inc. - Applicants: Biome, Inc. - Inventors: Collin Cavote; Collin Stoner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298655B2 ## CPC - B01D 53/84: Biological processes - A01G 9/025: {Containers and elements for greening walls (for covering roofs A01G9/033)} - B01D 53/30: Controlling by gas-analysis apparatus (regulating non electrical variables in general G05D) - B01D 2253/102: Carbon - B01D 2257/708: Volatile organic compounds V.O.C.'s - B01D 2259/4508: for cleaning air in buildings - F24F 8/175: using biological materials, plants or microorganisms - Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters - Y02P 60/20: Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2 - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract The present disclosure generally relates to plant-based air purification systems and more particularly to wall mounted systems for removing impurities from indoor air using plants. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plant module, adapted to hold a root ball of a live plant, comprising: a rigid portion configured to at least partially enclose the root ball; and a sealing rim configured to support the plant module in a vertical plant holder while also forming a seal allowing for differences in air pressure between a first side of the sealing rim and an opposite side of the sealing rim, the plant module comprising at least one of: one or more interior baffles formed as part of the rigid portion for constraining movement of the root ball when inserted into the plant module; or one or more exterior features formed as part of the rigid portion for constraining movement of the plant module relative to a shipping container when the one or more exterior features are in contact with the shipping container and/or in contact with packing materials inside the shipping container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The plant module of claim 1 wherein the rigid portion includes a first shell portion and a second shell portion that are connected by a hinge flexibly connecting the first shell portion and the second shell portion such that they are movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the root ball is insertable into the plant module in the open position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The plant module of claim 1 wherein the rigid portion includes a first shell portion and a second shell portion, the shell portion includes at least one snap fastener, the first shell portion and the second shell portion snapping together via the snap fastener to enclose the root ball of a plant. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The plant module of claim 1 further comprising a first pliant covering, attached to the rigid portion, the first pliant covering forming a portion of the sealing rim. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The plant module of claim 4 further comprising a second pliant covering, attached to the rigid portion, overlapping the first pliant covering, the first pliant covering and the second pliant covering forming the sealing rim. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The plant module of claim 1, wherein the shipping container is sealed to create a waterproof enclosure for live plants. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The plant module of claim 6, wherein the shipping container further comprises features that exist within the shipping container adapted for accepting a plant module. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The plant module of claim 7, wherein the shipping container further comprises a molded feature that has a gasket that creates an airtight seal around a plant module. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The plant module of claim 1, wherein the plant module is Red list free, rigid portion being molded HDPE. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The plant module of claim 1, wherein a chemical or physical pest management tool that repel insects, fungi, or other plant pest is impregnated in material of the plant module or applied as a film to the plant module. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The plant module of claim 1, further comprising: a soft overmold which provides an active seal while also providing a soft material for at least one plant to grow and expand into; and internal baffling of the rigid portion that stabilizes roots of the at least one plant contained within the plant module and holds growth media. ### Claim 12 A vertical plant module holder, adapted to hold a plurality of plant modules, comprising: a front face, having thereon an array of openings for receiving plant modules; a plurality of watertight lips, wherein a watertight lip is provided for each opening of the array of openings, positioned to direct falling liquids from an exterior of the vertical plant module holder to an interior region of the vertical plant module holder; a rear face, wherein the front face and the rear face together at least partially enclose the interior region, wherein the rear face and the front face are connectable to form an airtight seal and a watertight seal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vertical plant module holder of claim 12, wherein the rear face and the front face are connectable by being attached without requiring use of epoxy. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The vertical plant module holder of claim 12, wherein the front face and the rear face are formed of multipart HDPE or Red List compatible plastic, and bonded into a unibody such that plastic components of the unibody are sealed and use no epoxy or adhesives to create a waterproof enclosure for growing plants and is thereby ‘Red List Free’, easily recyclable, and leakproof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The vertical plant module holder of claim 12, wherein the front face and rear face create air pockets that insulate the interior region from temperature swings thereby protecting a plant contained in a plant module received by an opening of the array of openings. ### Claim 16 A system for indoor air purification comprising: a housing; a sensor board comprising a circuit board that is removable from the housing; a plurality of receptacles, each of which receives a respective plant module; at least one fan connected to and controlled by the sensor board; and at least one pump that pumps water to the receptacles. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system for indoor air purification of claim 16, further comprising a plant module, adapted to hold a root ball of a live plant, receivable by a receptacle of the plurality of receptacles, the plant module comprising: a first shell portion; a second shell portion, wherein the first shell portion and the second shell portion are connectable to enclose the root ball; and a sealing rim configured to support the plant module in the receptacle while also forming a seal allowing for differences in air pressure between a first side of the sealing rim and an opposite side of the sealing rim. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system for indoor air purification of claim 16, wherein the housing comprises a front cover and a back cover, the front cover and back cover enclosing a waterproof flexible membrane and an internal frame, the internal frame providing support for the at least one fan and the at least one water pump, the flexible membrane having a plurality of openings, one for each receptacle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system for indoor air purification of claim 18, wherein the flexible membrane is adapted to form a seal with a sealing rim of a plant module.