Scalable and re-configurable system for indoor growing
OwnerBrandon Massayinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a scalable and re-configurable system for indoor growing. The scalable and re-configurable system for indoor growing is comprised of a plurality of growing sleds, in which each growing sled has a plurality of plant stations. Plants are grown in receptacles on each plant station. The plant station is rotated by a drive system. Each plant station provides irrigation. Each plant station has a forced frame connected to the top of a plant support assembly. A forced frame is used to confine each plant to a known foot-print. This is necessary in indoor growing in order to make the production uniform and efficient.
Claims25
An apparatus for growing a plurality of plants indoors comprising
- a rectangular growing sled comprised of a frame, a corrugated drainage surface, a gutter, four wheels, and a drive mechanism;
- a plurality of plant support assemblies having a planar upper surface;
- and
- a plurality of forced frames equal in number to the plurality of plant support assemblies;
- wherein each of the plant support assemblies is attached to the rectangular growing sled;
- wherein each of the plant support assemblies has a forced frame attached to the planar upper surface;
- wherein each of the plant support assemblies has a plant-support drive wheel, connected to the drive mechanism, allowing the drive mechanism to rotate the planar upper surface around an axis orthogonal to the planar upper surface;
- and
- wherein the drive mechanism is comprised of
- a motor;
- a drive shaft;
- a plurality of shaft-mounted drive wheels, equal in number to the plurality of plant support assemblies, connected to, and drivingly engaged with, the drive shaft;
- a plurality of drive-shaft-mounted return wheels, equal in number to the plurality of plant support assemblies, that are free to turn independently of the drive shaft;
- a plurality of tensioner assemblies, equal in number to the plurality of plant support assemblies, comprised of a tensioner body and a tensioner wheel;
- and
- a plurality of closed-loop drive belts, equal in number to the plurality of plant support assemblies,
- wherein each of the plurality of closed-loop drive belts goes around a shaft-mounted drive wheel, a plant-support drive wheel, a return wheel, and a tensioner wheel;
- wherein each of the plurality of closed-loop drive belts is drivingly engaged with one and only one shaft-mounted drive wheel;
- and
- wherein each of the plurality of closed-loop drive belts rotates one and only one plant support assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.