WO2024205449A1 - Planter assembly for vertical gardening - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of agriculture, and more particularly to devices for cultivating plants and for vertical gardening. A planter assembly is configured in the form of a vertically oriented panel made of plastic in the form of a single piece, which is designed for attachment to a vertical supporting surface. Said panel is configured in the form of at least two leakproof troughs arranged one below the other and at an inclined angle. Said troughs have drainage cutouts in the front wall thereof. The bottom of each trough is provided with drainage channels, wherein transverse drainage channels intersect with longitudinal drainage channels. The transverse drainage channels of each trough are configured in the form of grooves in the surface of the body of the panel, which extend across the inside part of the front wall from the drainage cutout in the trough to the edge of the inside part of the rear wall of the trough.

Description

PHYTOMODULE FOR VERTICAL GARDENING

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to agriculture, namely to devices for growing plants and greening vertical surfaces [A01G 9/02].

Known is patent RU 2553649, published: 20.06.2015, which discloses a device for vertical or inclined placement of agricultural crops outside the plant soil has at least one module defining an internal volume intended for storing a nutrient and plants and limited by a front wall and a rear wall rigidly connected to the front wall. At least the front wall has an opening for the passage of plants and at least one wall, front or rear, has a fixation space for attaching the module to the holder. At the same time, at least one wall, front or rear, has overlapping ribs allowing, when the device is installed on a plant roof or wall and has at least two adjacent modules, the modules to overlap each other at least partially on the wall or roof. The device allows eliminating losses of nutrients and simplifying the cultivation of plants.

The disadvantages of the design are the high cost of its production, complex installation and the presence of many components.

A phytomodule for vertical gardening is known (patent RU159281U), made in the form of a vertical panel made of plastic and fixed to the wall of a room or building, and also containing a system for supplying a nutrient solution or water, characterized in that the panel is made in the form of at least two leak-proof trays-pallets, placed one under the other and having an angle of inclination, and the front wall of all trays-pallets of the phytomodule is made of different heights, which guarantees the outflow of excess water during watering and allows leaving in the tray only the standardized amount of water necessary for watering the plants.

The disadvantage of the analogue is the low capacity of the bottom of each tier of the tray to drain moisture in case of overflow and poor ventilation. In case of overflow, water stagnates, since the trays are placed at an angle relative to the horizon. Therefore, water accumulates in the lower part of the bottom of the tray.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) In addition, in the case of moderate watering, water also quickly accumulates in the lower part of the tray bottom and the plant roots located closer to the wall do not have time to soak up the moisture. As a result, the root system near the wall dries out, and in the lower part of the tray bottom - rots from excess moisture and poor ventilation.

A PHYTOMODULE FOR GROWING PLANTS AND LANDSCAPING VERTICAL SURFACES is known [patent RU148569U, published: 10.12.2014] made in the form of a vertical panel made of plastic and attached to the wall of a room or building, containing a system for supplying a nutrient solution or water that operates on the principle of overflowing liquid from the upper trays to the lower ones through a system of pipes and drainage holes.

The prototype solves the problem of the previous analogue in terms of draining moisture in the event of overflow due to a drainage hole in the center of the tray.

But the problem of water stagnation in the lower part of the tray and poor ventilation is not solved. There, water also accumulates in the lower part of the bottom of the tray.

In addition, in the case of moderate watering, water also quickly accumulates in the lower part of the tray bottom and the plant roots located closer to the wall do not have time to soak up the moisture. As a result, the root system near the wall dries out, and in the lower part of the tray bottom - rots from excess moisture and poor ventilation.

The closest analogue is the Boxsand-12 Phytomodule (60x65 cm) (see htps://boxsand.ru/catalog/oborudovanie_dlya_vertikalnogo_ozeleneniya/672 /), published: 05/27/2022. The phytomodule is made in the form of a vertical panel made of plastic and attached to the wall of a room or building, containing a supply system for a nutrient solution or water that operates on the principle of overflowing liquid from the upper trays-pallets to the lower ones through a system of pipes and drainage holes. At the same time, longitudinal drainage grooves are made in the bottom of the trays-pallets.

The prototype solves the problem of draining moisture in case of overflow due to a drainage hole in the center of the tray. The system of filling the roots of plants located closer to the wall with moisture is also improved due to longitudinal grooves.

But the problem of water stagnation in the lower part of the tray and poor ventilation is not solved. There, water also accumulates in the lower part of the tray bottom. It also stagnates in the area of longitudinal grooves.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) In addition, in the case of moderate watering, water also quickly accumulates in the lower part of the tray bottom and the plant roots located closer to the wall do not have time to soak up the moisture. As a result, the root system near the wall dries out, and in the lower part of the tray bottom - rots from excess moisture and poor ventilation.

The objective of the invention is to eliminate the specified technical problems of the prototype.

The technical result of the invention is an improved ventilation system for the bottom of each of the pallets and an improved drainage system for feeding the roots of plants along the entire bottom of each pallet, which ensures the creation of more favorable conditions for the growth and development of plants and their root system of the phytomodule than in the prototype.

The specified technical result is achieved due to the fact that a phytomodule for vertical landscaping is claimed, made in the form of a vertically oriented panel made of plastic in the form of a single part, with the possibility of fastening to a vertical supporting surface, wherein the panel is made in the form of at least two leak-proof trays-pallets, placed one under the other and having an angle of inclination, wherein drainage cutouts are made in the front wall in the trays-pallets, longitudinal drainage grooves are made on the bottom of each tray-pallet, characterized in that transverse drainage grooves are additionally made, which intersect the longitudinal drainage grooves, wherein the transverse drainage grooves of each tray-pallet are made in the form of grooves on the surface of the panel body, which extend along the inner part of the front wall from the drainage cutout of the tray-pallet to the edge of the inner part of the wall of the tray-pallet.

Preferably, the transverse grooves are made along the width of the drain of the drainage cutouts.

Preferably, each tray has three transverse drainage grooves.

Preferably, the transverse grooves are made in the form of a rectangular groove, and the longitudinal grooves are made in the form of rounded grooves on the bottom of the tray.

Preferably, a system for supplying nutrient solution or water in the form of a pump and water intake and supply hoses connected to it is installed on the rear side of the phytomodule.

On the topmost tray-pallet, the transverse grooves are preferably made with a smoothly changing depth.

Brief description of the drawings

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Fig. 1 shows the structure of the phytomodule (view in volume).

Fig. 2 shows the structure of the phytomodule (top view).

Fig. 3 shows a diagram of an example of fastening a phytomodule to a vertical support (side view in section).

Fig. 4 shows diagrams of examples of filling the bottom parts of the phytomodule with water during testing (side sectional view), where A is the view of filling the module with water immediately after watering (initial stage), B is the view of filling the module with water according to the prototype 3 days after watering, C is the view of filling the module with water according to the invention 3 days after watering.

Fig. 5 shows a photograph of a prototype according to the invention.

Fig. 6 shows partial filling of the phytomodule with pots with plants.

Fig. 7 shows the complete filling of the phytomodule with pots with plants.

In the drawings: 1 - phytomodule panel, 2 - tray-pan, 3 - bottom, 4 - longitudinal drainage grooves, 5 - transverse drainage grooves at the bottom, 5.1 - transverse drainage grooves at the wall, 5.2 - transverse drainage grooves with a recess, 5.3 - transverse drainage grooves at the front wall, 6 - drainage cutouts, 7 - front wall, 8 - rear wall, 9 - lower part of the tray-pan, 10 - fasteners, 11 - vertical support.

Implementation of the invention

A phytomodule for growing plants and landscaping vertical surfaces is made in the form of a vertically oriented panel 1 (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2).

Panel 1 is made of plastic as a single piece, for example by injection moulding or stamping. This simplifies the production process of phytomodules.

Panel 1 is designed with the possibility of being attached to a vertical support surface 11 (see Fig. 3). That is, panel 1 of the phytomodule is attached to the wall of a room, building or other vertical support surface 11 at the required height in the vertical plane using fasteners 10.

The fastening can be done in a similar way to the prototype or in another convenient way, including making loops for hanging on the back of the panel.

If necessary, the phytomodule can be additionally equipped with a system for supplying nutrient solution or water (not shown),

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) plastic hoses and a pump can be used as such, which are placed on the back of the phytomodule. The water supply hose is connected to the pump outlet, and the water intake hose is connected to the inlet.

The panel 1 itself is made in the form of at least two leak-proof trays 2, placed one under the other and having an angle of inclination. In the trays-pallets 2 drainage cutouts 6 are made in the front wall 7.

On the bottom 3 of each tray-pallet 2, longitudinal drainage grooves 4 are made.

What is new in the invention is that transverse drainage grooves 5 are additionally made, which intersect the longitudinal drainage grooves 4. In this case, the transverse drainage grooves 5 of each tray-tray 2 are made in the form of grooves 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 on the surface of the panel body, which extend along the inner part of the front wall 7 from the drainage cutout 6 of the tray-tray to the edge of the inner part of the wall 8 of the tray-tray 2.

Such a design of the drainage and at the same time ventilation system of the phytomodule allows to provide an improved ventilation system of the bottom 3 of each of the trays-pallets 2 and at the same time to provide an improved drainage system for feeding the roots of plants along the entire bottom 3 of each tray-pallet 2. In general, the phytomodule provides the creation of more favorable conditions for the growth and development of plants and their root system of the phytomodule than in the prototype.

The achievement of the indicated results is justified by the following.

Due to the fact that longitudinal drainage grooves 4 are made on the bottom 3 of each tray-tray 2, water can stagnate in them for watering the roots of plants, which are located in the central part of the bottom 3 of the tray-tray 2 and closer to the wall 8 of the tray-tray of the phytomodule.

Thus, even despite the presence of a slope in all trays - pallets 2, at the time of watering, the flowing water does not stagnate (as in the prototype) only in the lower part 9 of each tray-pallet 2, as well as in the longitudinal grooves 4, but is evenly distributed through the channels of the transverse grooves 5, which, unlike the prototype, allows creating more favorable conditions for the growth and development of plants and their root system, since the roots of plants can be evenly supplied with water from the evaporation of the ventilation system from the longitudinal 4 and transverse 5 grooves.

The ventilation duct system is designed to prevent water stagnation and plant root rot. The ventilation duct system is a cross-cutting

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) longitudinal grooves 4 and a row of transverse drainage grooves 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3.

Due to the fact that the transverse drainage grooves 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 of each tray-tray 2 are made in the form of grooves on the surface of the body of the panel 1, which extend along the inner part of the front wall 7 from the drainage cutout 6 of the tray-tray to the edge of the inner part of the wall 8 of the tray-tray 2, ventilation channels are created that entrain air flows through the drainage channels 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3. The air flows first enter through the cutouts 6, pass along the transverse channels 5.3, then enter the transverse channels 5 of the bottom 3, from where they are also redistributed into the longitudinal channels 4, where they freely circulate along them, drying excess moisture during overflow and saturating the roots with moist air. The air exits through the transverse channels 5.1, 5.2.

The intersection of longitudinal 4 and transverse 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 channels is a ventilation system and at the same time a drainage system.

Drainage is created by removing excess water from longitudinal grooves 4 into transverse grooves 5, from where it flows through them into the lower part of the tray 9, and from there through drainage cutouts 6 it flows into the tray below or into a drain tank.

Ventilation occurs in the above-described system naturally. Since in the zone on the bottom 3 of the tray-tray 2, where water is poured for irrigation, and where under the pots with plants there is a darker place than outside the phytomodule, the temperature on the bottom 3 of the tray-tray 2 is lower than at the drainage cutout 6. As a result, a natural suction of warm air into the cold zone occurs. Warm air circulates in the system between the longitudinal 4 and transverse 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 channels, and its heated part also naturally moves upwards along the transverse channels 5.2, 5.3, extending along the wall 8 of each tray-tray 2.

The air entrained from the tray-tray 2 is slightly colder. Due to the fact that the transverse grooves on the surface of the body of the panel 1 extend along the inner part of the front wall 7 of the drainage cutout 6 of the tray-tray to the edge of the inner part of the wall 8 of the tray-tray, this slightly cooler air cools the walls 7 and 8 of the phytomodule in the area of the transverse grooves 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, and this contributes to the creation of better conditions for natural ventilation along the transverse channels 5, 5.1, 5.3 of the tray-tray, which is located higher, due to the greater difference in temperatures of the walls themselves and the lower edge of the tray-tray in comparison with the temperature in the areas of the transverse channels.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Thus, the created natural ventilation system eliminates water stagnation in the longitudinal grooves 4 and more effectively dries up the masses of water accumulated during watering in the lower part 9 of the tray-pan 2. In addition, the ventilation system ensures a smooth flow of moist air under the pots with plants, which allows saturating all the roots of the plants with moisture vapor. In the prototype, such a flow of moist air does not occur.

Transverse grooves 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 can be made along the width of the drain of the drainage cutouts 6, which creates a smooth transition of the ventilation channel of the lower tray to the upper one.

The number of longitudinal drainage grooves 4 can be from two (see Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6) and more (for example, in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 three longitudinal grooves are shown), and the number of transverse grooves 5 - also from two and more (in all drawings three grooves are shown), in order to provide at least an air inlet and outlet on one tray-pallet. This is rational from the point of view that under conditions of uneven solar illumination of plants located in the phytomodule, air can also exit from the transverse channel of the warmer part of the phytomodule, even at the same level in height, without passing into the tray-pallet above.

On the topmost tray, the transverse grooves 5.2 are preferably made with a smoothly changing depth in order to increase the flow of outgoing air.

The transverse grooves can be made in the form of a rectangular section groove or another shape. The longitudinal grooves 4 are most preferably in the form of rounded grooves on the bottom of the tray-pan to improve the flow of liquid along them.

The overall dimensions of the trays and the distance between them are set during production depending on the size of the pot of the plant being grown, as well as the needs of the consumer.

The phytomodule is used as follows.

Panel 1 of the phytomodule is fixed to vertical support 11 with fasteners 10 at the required height in the vertical plane.

After installation, plants are placed in trays-pans 2 phytomodules (see Fig. 6, Fig. 7), while it is preferable to place plants in pots so that the soil does not fill the ventilation ducts.

The plants are watered through the upper tray, the liquid from which flows through drainage cutouts 6 and then through transverse channels 5, 5.1, 5.3 alternately into the trays-pans 2 installed below.

According to the invention, a prototype model was made (see Fig. 5), which during testing demonstrated an effective ventilation system and

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) drying the water in the lower part of the tray after watering.

For comparison, a purchased prototype sample of the same dimensions and configuration of tray shapes was used. After pouring the same amount of water into both samples (see Fig. 4(A)) and waiting for 3 days, pots with plants were removed from both samples.

In the prototype sample (see Fig. 4(B)) in the lower part of the tray-tray 9 the accumulated water almost did not decrease the level from the drainage cutout mark, had a putrid smell. In the longitudinal drainage grooves 4 it was damp and there was standing water. The roots of the plants developed well in the pots only on the side closer to the lower part 9 of the tray-tray and in their intersection zone with the longitudinal groove, and those roots that were located closer to the wall experienced a lack of moisture and dried out.

In the sample according to the invention (see Fig. 4(B)) in the lower part of the tray-pan 9 the accumulated water lowered the level from the mark of the drainage cutout 6 by half the volume and did not have a putrid smell. In the longitudinal 4 and transverse 5 drainage grooves it was wet. The roots of the plants developed uniformly in all the plant pots. None of the plants experienced a lack of moisture. In the working condition with the plants installed, when applying a finger to the transverse grooves 5.3 at the front wall 7, a weak air flow was felt, going to the finger.

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SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Claims

Invention formula 1. A phytomodule for vertical landscaping, made in the form of a vertically oriented panel made of plastic in the form of a single part, with the possibility of fastening to a vertical supporting surface, wherein the panel is made in the form of at least two leak-proof trays-pallets, placed one under the other and having an angle of inclination, wherein drainage cutouts are made in the front wall of the trays-pallets, longitudinal drainage grooves are made on the bottom of each tray-pallet, characterized in that transverse drainage grooves are additionally made, which intersect the longitudinal drainage grooves, wherein the transverse drainage grooves of each tray-pallet are made in the form of grooves on the surface of the panel body, which extend along the inner part of the front wall from the drainage cutout of the tray-pallet to the edge of the inner part of the rear wall of the tray-pallet. 2. A phytomodule according to item 1, characterized in that the transverse drainage grooves are made along the width of the drainage cutouts. 3. A phytomodule according to item 1, characterized in that each tray has three transverse drainage grooves. 4. The phytomodule according to item 1, characterized in that the transverse drainage grooves are made in the form of a groove of rectangular cross-section, and the longitudinal drainage grooves are made in the form of rounded grooves on the bottom of the tray. 5. A phytomodule according to item 1, characterized in that a system for supplying a nutrient solution or water in the form of a pump and water intake and supply hoses connected to it is installed on the rear side of the phytomodule. 6. The phytomodule according to item 1, characterized in that on the uppermost tray, the transverse drainage grooves are preferably made with a smoothly changing depth. 9 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)