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US 5,131,185 AGranted
Apparatus and method for propagating, growing and handling plants
OwnerAart V. Wingerdeninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is provided an apparatus and method for propagating, growing and handling plants. A tray is provided having a pluralilty of spaced apart elongated containers which are removably attached to one another. Each container has a plurality of planting compartments with adjacent planting compartments being separated by an air compartment each having an elongated opening which permits the movement of air into the root system of a plant located in an adjacent compartment. The air compartments also provide for vertical airflow to the leafy parts of the plants. The elongated containers are readily separated from one another and reassembled using automated apparatus. The automated apparatus removes the plants from the container for grading, transplanting and/or packaging.
Claims16
A tray for receiving a plurality of plants comprising:
- a plurality of rows of elongated containers;
- said rows of containers being nonintegral with one another;
- each of said containers including (a) two spaced apart elongated side walls, (b) a plurality of spaced apart growing compartments for receiving plants and growing material, (c) a plurality of spaced apart air compartments, (d) an air compartment located between each of said spaced apart growing compartments, each air compartment having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion and said bottom portion being substantially open thereby enabling air to readily pass through said air compartments, and (e) a barrier formed by a common wall between an air compartment and one of its adjacent growing compartments, said barrier being constructed so as to permit airflow into said adjacent growing compartment from said air compartment, thereby enabling air pruning of roots of the plant in said growing compartment, said growing compartments having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portions and said bottom portions of said growing compartments being substantially open thereby enabling the ready removal of said plants from said growing compartments and further enabling additional air pruning of roots of the plants in said growing compartments.
A tray for receiving a plurality of plants comprising:
- a plurality of elongated containers;
- each of said containers having two spaced apart elongated side walls;
- a plurality of spaced apart growing compartments for receiving plants and growing material;
- portions of said elongated side walls forming individual walls for each of said growing compartments;
- a plurality of spaced apart air compartments;
- an air compartment located between each of said spaced apart growing compartments;
- each air compartment having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion and said bottom portion being substantially open thereby enable air to readily pass through said air compartments;
- a barrier formed by a common wall between an air compartment and one of its adjacent growing compartments;
- said barrier being constructed so as to permit airflow into said adjacent growing compartments from said air compartment, thereby enabling air pruning of roots of the plant in said growing compartment;
- said growing compartments having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- said top portion and said bottom portions of said growing compartments being substantially open thereby enabling the ready removal of said plants from said growing compartments and further enabling additional air pruning of roots of the plants in said growing compartments;
- said tray formed of rows of removably attached adjacent containers;
- said adjacent containers being spaced apart whereby air may flow between adjacent containers to upper portions of the plants;
- connection means attached to at least one of said elongated side walls of each of said containers for removably fastening said containers together and for providing space between said containers whereby said containers may be readily separated and reassembled;
- a plurality of holes located in at least one of said elongated side walls, at least some of said holes align with said connection means and removably receiving said connection means.
12 more elements
A tray for receiving a plurality of plants comprising:
- at least one elongated container;
- said container having two spaced apart elongated side walls;
- a plurality of spaced apart growing compartments for receiving plants and growing material;
- portions of said elongated side walls forming individual walls for each of said growing compartments;
- a plurality of spaced apart air compartments;
- an air compartment located between each of said spaced apart growing compartments;
- each air compartment having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- said top portion and said bottom portion being substantially open thereby enabling air to readily pass through said air compartments;
- a first barrier formed by a common wall between an air compartment and one of its adjacent growing compartments;
- said first barrier being constructed so as to permit airflow into said adjacent growing compartment from said air compartment thereby enabling air pruning of roots of the plant in said growing compartment;
- said growing compartments having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- said top portions and said bottom portions of said growing compartments being substantially open thereby enabling the ready removal of said plants from said growing compartments and further enabling additional air pruning of roots of the plants in said growing compartments;
- a second barrier located in each air compartment;
- said second barrier contacting opposed sides of said spaced apart side walls for stabilizing said container.
11 more elements
A tray for receiving a plurality of plants comprising:
- a plurality of rows of growing containers;
- said rows being nonintegral with one another;
- each of said containers including (a) two spaced apart elongated side walls, (b) a plurality of spaced apart growing compartments for receiving plants in growing material, portions of said elongated side walls forming individual walls for each of said growing compartments, (c) a plurality of spaced apart air compartments, (d) an air compartment located between each of said spaced apart growing compartments, (e) a barrier formed by a common wall between an air compartment and one of its adjacent growing compartments, said barrier being constructed so as to permit airflow into said adjacent growing compartment from said air compartment, said common walls having portions thereof not being in contact with one of said side walls forming an air gap.
A tray for supporting a plurality of plants comprising:
- a plurality of elongated containers formed as rows;
- said rows being nonintegral with one another;
- each container having a plurality of growing compartments and a plurality of air compartments;
- each container having two spaced apart side walls;
- an air compartment located between adjacent growing compartments;
- each air compartment having an upper part and a lower part;
- at least one opening in said lower part of each of said air compartments whereby air may flow vertically through said air compartments;
- said growing compartments having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- said top portion and said bottom portion of each growing compartment being substantially open wherein air pruning of the roots of the plants may occur and the plants may be readily removed from said growing compartments;
- means for maintaining adjacent containers a predetermined distance from one another thereby providing an open space between said adjacent containers whereby air may flow vertically between said adjacent containers.
7 more elements
A tray for supporting a plurality of plants comprising:
- a plurality of elongated containers formed as rows;
- each container having a plurality of growing compartments and a plurality of air compartments;
- each container having two spaced apart side walls;
- an air compartment located between adjacent growing compartments;
- each air compartment having an upper part and a lower part;
- at least one opening in said lower port of each of said air compartments whereby air may flow vertically through said air compartments;
- said growing compartments having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- said top portion and said bottom portion of each growing compartment being substantially open whereby air pruning of the roots of the plants may occur and said plants may be readily removed from said growing compartments;
- means for maintaining adjacent containers a predetermined distance from one another thereby providing an open space between adjacent containers whereby air may flow vertically between said adjacent containers;
- openings in each of said spaced apart side walls of each container adjacent to said air compartments;
- said means for maintaining adjacent containers a predetermined distance from one another includes a plurality of connectors said connectors are removably received in a predetermined number of said openings in said side walls.
8 more elements
A tray for receiving a plurality of plants comprising:
- at least one elongated container;
- said container having two spaced apart elongated side walls;
- a plurality of spaced apart growing compartments for receiving plants and growing material;
- portions of said elongated side walls forming individual walls for each of said growing compartments;
- a plurality of spaced apart air compartments;
- an air compartment located between each of said spaced apart growing compartments;
- each air compartment having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- said top portion and said bottom portions being substantially open thereby enabling air to readily pass through said air compartments;
- a first barrier formed by a common wall between an air compartment and one of its adjacent growing compartments;
- said first barrier being constructed so as to permit airflow into said adjacent growing compartment from said air compartment thereby enabling air pruning at roots of the plant in said growing compartment;
- said growing compartments having a top portion and a bottom portion;
- said top portions and said bottom portions of said growing compartments being substantially open thereby enabling the ready removal of said plants from said growing compartments and further enabling additional air pruning of roots of the plant in said growing compartments;
- a second barrier formed by a common wall between said air compartment and another of its adjacent growing compartments;
- bridging means located in each air compartment;
- said bridging means contacting each of said barriers for providing stability.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.