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US 8,893,431 B2Granted
Farm in a box
AssigneeEcotech Farm In a Box, LLC
InventorsDouglas I. Busch, Adam Busch, Wayne Pendrey, Jeffrey Leland Walmsley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vertical gardening apparatus with an outer shell enclosing an inner structure and liquid dispensing system that allows plants to grow on a vertical surface with minimum maintenance. Multiple vertical gardening apparatus may also be arranged together in aesthetically pleasing patterns on a wall.
Claims19
A gardening apparatus comprising:
- A) an outer shell encapsulating an inner structure and liquid delivery system,
- B) at least one inner structure within the outer shell with at least one generally planar medium capable of supporting a plant or seeds in growth medium when aligned vertically and capable of retaining liquid, and
- C) a liquid delivery system within the outer shell wherein the liquid delivery system comprises:
- i) a first refillable and sealable reservoir positioned above the inner structure and capable of dispensing liquid into the inner structure though at least one opening,
- ii) a second refillable reservoir positioned below the inner structure capable of receiving water from the inner structure, and
- iii) a tube connecting said first and second reservoirs wherein said tube is open on each end and wherein the open end of the tube in the second reservoir is positioned in a bottom portion of the second reservoir, wherein said tube enables a liquid dispensing negative feedback loop between said first and second reservoirs by creating a partial vacuum in the first reservoir when the water level in the second reservoir submerges the end of the tube in the second reservoir and wherein said vacuum inhibits the dispensing of liquid by said first reservoir and wherein when the liquid level of the second reservoir recedes to a level where the tube is no longer covered by liquid the partial vacuum is destroyed and liquid from the first reservoir again begins to flow through the at least one opening.
3 more elements
A gardening apparatus comprising:
- an outer shell comprising two pieces connected with fasteners adapted to be removable and re-attachable to said gardening apparatus with at least one hole capable of allowing a plant in growth media from said gardening apparatus,
- at least one inner structure within said outer shell with at least one hole inline with the hole or holes in the outer shell and capable of receiving and supporting a plant in growth medium when aligned vertically and capable of retaining liquid, and
- a liquid delivery system wherein a first refillable sealable reservoir capable of selectively dispensing liquid is positioned above the inner structure wherein holes on the bottom of the first reservoir release liquid into the inner structure, the inner structure drains any excess liquid into a second reservoir positioned below the inner structure, and a tube connects said first and second reservoirs wherein said tube is open on each end and wherein the open end of the tube in the second reservoir is positioned in a bottom portion of the second reservoir, wherein said tube enables a liquid dispensing negative feedback loop between said first and second reservoirs by creating a vacuum in the first reservoir when the water level in the second reservoir submerges the end of the tube in the second reservoir and wherein said vacuum inhibits the dispensing of liquid by said first reservoir and wherein when the liquid level of the second reservoir recedes to a level where the tube is no longer covered the vacuum is destroyed and liquid from the first reservoir again begins to flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.