Methods and apparatus for indoor farming
AssigneeBeanstalk, Inc.
InventorsJack L. Ross, Michael D. Ross
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments described herein generally relate to systems and methods for indoor farming. Containers having a lid and a basin can be used to grow plants in stagnant liquid growing medium (e.g., water and nutrients). The lid can contain solid growing medium (e.g., dirt) and seeds and/or plants. The lid can define slots that allow roots of plants to access the liquid growing medium. The containers can be stored in bays of a dense vertical rack system. Each bay can include a gravity feed system. A gantry can be operable to deposit containers into and retrieve containers from bays. Containers can be left in bays for plants to grow with no recirculation or agitation of liquid within the basins and little or no handling.
Claims20
A method, comprising:
- loading a container from a plurality of containers onto a platform of a gantry, the container including a basin and a lid, the basin filled with water and nutrients, the lid containing a solid growing medium and at least one of a seed or a plant, the lid including an opening configured to allow plant roots to access liquid in the basin;
- depositing the container in a bay of a rack system, the bay having a gravity feed system and containing at least two other containers from the plurality of containers, depositing the container into the bay including pushing the container and the at least two other containers into the bay;
- and
- storing the container and the at least two other containers in the bay while plants grow in the container and the at least two other containers, the bay being illuminated and climate controlled.
A method, comprising:
- placing a lid containing a solid growing medium and a seed in a storage area for germination;
- after the seed germinates into a plant, placing the lid atop a basin containing a liquid comprising water and nutrients to form a container, the lid including an opening to allow roots of the plant to protrude through the lid and into the basin such that the roots can access the water and nutrients, when the lid is placed atop the basin no portion of the lid contacting the liquid;
- and
- storing the container in a climate-controlled environment, such that the plant can grow to maturity in the container, with roots accessing the liquid, without agitating or recirculating the liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.