Modular tray and tray assemblies therefrom
AssigneeNew AeroFarms, Inc.
InventorsMark Ira Rosen, Nicholas Philip Robert Barclay, Justin Robert Zabilansky, John James Tarter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to tray modules and tray assemblies made from interconnected tray modules. The modular tray assemblies can be used in indoor farming with a soilless growth medium to germinate seeds, develop plants from the germinated seeds, and harvest the developed plants. The tray modules making up a tray assembly are interchangeable and can be made from the same mold design. This can reduce production costs for making tray modules and can reduce the inventory of replacement parts needed to repair tray assemblies.
Claims20
A tray module for supporting seed germination and plant development, the tray module comprising:
- a top surface, a bottom surface, and openings with walls between the top surface and the bottom surface;
- tray sides extending from the top surface and below the bottom surface to define a tray side bottom edge surface, the tray sides form a tray side perimeter;
- the tray sides comprise a first tray side, a second tray side, a third tray side, and a fourth tray side;
- the second tray side and the third tray side are opposite one another, the fourth tray side is opposite the first tray side;
- said tray module comprises one or more stand-offs within the tray side perimeter, said stand-offs have a stand-off bottom surface that extends away from the bottom surface and beyond the tray side bottom edge surface, wherein the one or more stand-offs are inwardly spaced from and connected to an inner surface of the tray sides by structures;
- and
- said tray module comprises two or more structures comprising the top surface that comprise a straight line portion that span between adjacent tray sides and form the openings with walls between the top surface and the bottom surface.
A tray module for supporting seed germination and plant development, the tray module comprising:
- a top surface, a bottom surface, and openings with walls between the top surface and the bottom surface;
- tray sides extending from the top surface and below the bottom surface to define a tray side bottom edge surface, the tray sides form a triangle with a tray side perimeter;
- the tray sides comprise a first tray side, a second tray side, and a third tray side;
- a first end of the first tray side is adjacent to and joined to a first end of the second tray side, a first end of the third tray side is joined to the second end of the first tray side and the second end of the third tray side is joined to the second end of the second tray side, whereby the third tray side spans between the first tray side and the second tray side;
- one or more stand-offs within the tray side perimeter, said stand-offs have a stand-off bottom surface that extends away from the bottom surface and beyond the tray side bottom edge surface, wherein the one or more stand-offs are inwardly spaced from and connected to an inner surface of the tray sides by structures;
- and
- said tray module comprises two or more structures comprising the top surface that comprise a straight line portion that spans between adjacent tray sides and forms the openings with walls between the top surface and the bottom surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.