Grow tower alignment mechanism
AssigneeMjnn LLC
InventorsMark Cuson, Tamara Tahir Hasoon, Michael Peter Flynn, Aidan Patrick Barry, Charles Dylan Karr, Frank Spiteri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Mechanisms that facilitate location and alignment of grow towers for one or more processing operations. In one implementation, the alignment mechanism comprises a track including an alignment feature and one or more engagement actuators. The alignment feature is configured to engage features of a track-contacting face of a grow tower. The engagement actuators press the grow tower against the track, causing the alignment feature to engage the grow tower and align it along the track to facilitate processing operations.
Claims29
An apparatus, comprising:
- a grow tower having a plurality of grow sites along at least one lateral face thereof, the grow tower having a track-contacting face, wherein the track-contacting face has a first cross-section profile extending along a length of the grow tower;
- a track having an alignment feature extending along the track and having a second cross-section profile that is configured to engage the first cross-section profile of the track-contacting face,
- wherein the track comprises a central bearing track and first and second lateral alignment bars extending along opposing sides of the central bearing track;
- one or more engagement actuators disposed to apply a force to the grow tower in a direction perpendicular to the track-contacting face and releasably press the track-contacting face of the grow tower against the track to register the length of the grow tower against the alignment feature;
- and
- a second bearing track substantially parallel to the track and located on a face of the grow tower opposite the track contacting face, wherein the second bearing track is adapted to guide the grow tower as it translates along the track and the second bearing track.
An apparatus for processing a grow tower, the grow tower having a plurality of grow sites along at least one lateral face thereof, the grow tower having a track-contacting face, wherein the track-contacting face has a first cross-section profile extending along a length of the grow tower, wherein the apparatus comprises:
- a track having an alignment feature extending along the track and having a second cross-section profile that is configured to engage the first cross-section profile of the track-contacting face,
- wherein the track comprises a central bearing track and first and second lateral alignment bars extending along opposing sides of the central bearing track;
- first and second engagement actuators disposed at first and second positions along the track, the first and second engagement actuators operative to apply a force to the grow tower in a direction perpendicular to the track-contacting face and releasably press the track-contacting face of the grow tower against the track to register and align the length of the grow tower against the alignment feature;
- a grow tower processing system disposed between the first and second positions, the grow tower processing system operative to apply one or more operations on the grow tower;
- and
- a second bearing track substantially parallel to the track and located on a face of the grow tower opposite the track contacting face, wherein the second bearing track is adapted to guide the grow tower as it translates along the track and second bearing track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.