CA2385896C - Platform gutter for plant breeding - Google Patents
Platform gutter for plant breeding Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2385896C CA2385896C CA002385896A CA2385896A CA2385896C CA 2385896 C CA2385896 C CA 2385896C CA 002385896 A CA002385896 A CA 002385896A CA 2385896 A CA2385896 A CA 2385896A CA 2385896 C CA2385896 C CA 2385896C
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- plant
- mat
- trough
- gutter
- profile
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G31/00—Soilless cultivation, e.g. hydroponics
- A01G31/02—Special apparatus therefor
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
- A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
- A01G9/04—Flower-pot saucers
- A01G9/047—Channels or gutters, e.g. for hydroponics
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02P60/00—Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries
- Y02P60/20—Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2
- Y02P60/21—Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Hydroponics (AREA)
- Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)
- Farming Of Fish And Shellfish (AREA)
- Greenhouses (AREA)
Abstract
The invention relates to a plant breeding gutter of platform shape that is used in a novel breeding system. The U-shaped profile of the plant breeding gutter is supported by distantly arranged suspension elements throughout its entire length. The platform top surface (9) entirely supports over its width the full width of the nutritive substratum mat (8). The legs (11) of the U-shaped profile point downward on both sides over a certain distance. This distance provides for a light entrance to the bottom edges of the sides of substratum mat (8) in order to prevent undesired root growth beyond the edges of the substratum mat (8). The lower portions are shaped as drain water channels. In another embodiment the legs (11) of the U-shaped profile include a downwardly extending wall section, a horizontal section, and an upwardly extending wall section which is spaced apart from the downwardly extending wall, by the horizontal section and which extends upwards beyond the platform level. These new external walls have openings, e.g. cutouts, in order to allow light entrance into the drain water channels and onto the bottom edges of the mat (8), thus preventing undesired root growth. All embodiments are equipped with water evacuation channels or drains.
Description
Platform Gutter For Plant Breeding The innovation relates to a novel approach for a plant breeding system, embodied in a form of a new plant breeding gutter that may be used for supporting nutritive substratum mats in a greenhouse.
In a traditional plant breeding gutter system a suitable nutritive substratum mat is placed inside a U shaped gutter provided with an elevated bottom section. The mat closes the gutter off like a lid. On both sides of the elevated central bottom section there are provided shallow water evacuation channels or water drains. The nutritive substratum mat is enclosed by the sidewalk of the gutter end basically kept in the dark space underneath where the plant roots will always quickly grow. The plant roots will subsequently find their way through drain holes, which are necessarily cut in the bottom side surface of the plastic foil that encloses the nutritive substrahun rnat, and subsequently these roots enter the water drains. The seating surface, located centrally in the bottom of the gutter, only supports the nutritive substratum mat along about 70% of the total available gutter width. Because the nutritive substratum mat can not be evenly lifted up over its entire length of e.g. 2 meter length for the purpose of controlling smooth water draining and subsequently cutting off the undesired bundle of root growth, it means that under the nutritive substratum mat there will be a rather free and strong development of the plant roots. Cutting off these protruding roots will also damage the plants and if not, block the water drains. If one of the side edges of the nutritive substratum mat is unevenly sloped and the water drains are so blocked then there will be no remedy against the root growth anymore.
The innovation intends now to provide for a novel plant breeding system by means of a platform gutter allowing full light entrance to the bottom side edges of a substratum mat to prevent by such light entrance a free root growth development outside the bottom edges of the substrate mat, whereby, amongst others, the water drainage ability of the gutter will not become restricted.
Furthermore, according to invention, the central platform bottom section of the S plant breeding gutter as viewed in a cross section will be elevated as ii a positioned above the water level in the evacuation channels or drains that are Located on a much lower level. While only 70% of the traditional U-shaped plant breeding gutter is being utilized for seating of the nutritive substratum mat.
the new platform plant breeding gutter will support for 100°!o the entire bottom surface of the nutritive substratum mat over its entire width, which is provided by the highly elevated platform bottom section. The drain holes made to that purpose in the plastic cover (foil] will now rest flatly on the available platform bottom section of the plant breeding gutter and roots will so have no accESS
for growing into the lower neighboring water drains whatsoever since light entrance prevents root growth whereas the entire bottom surface of the mat is covered by the surface of the platform.
The great advantage of this novel concept of this plant breeding gutter is achieved by the provision of a so-called light-bridge distance for the purpose of preventing the root growth of the plant by introducing light. This distance equals e.g_ 8 cm between the platform top surface and the lower water drain i~rei.
Plant root ends are "'burned off" by light and .are now unable to propagate as such to provoke disturbing blocklngs of the water drains, thus resulting in eliminating the root growth thereby also preventing root amputation. This results in minimized maintenance activities.
The highly elevated platform bottom section of the new gutter may principally have a flat surface cross section, although it may also be sloped under some small angle from the center part towards the sidewatls. It also may be possible that the elevated bottom section is slightly rounded off with a radius of e.g.
75 cm.
!n a traditional plant-breeding gutter al;l protruding plant roots emerging from the nutritive substratum mats are always laying in the same drain water. Thus there is always ~ fair chance of undesired virus or bacterial/fungi contamination from one plant to another if the drain water becomes contaminated since plant diseases are transferred via water in which the roots are placed. This novel plant breeding system completely eliminates such Chances of virus or other contamination. The roots penetrating through the holes in nutritive substratum mats have now no longer any means of getting in contact with possibly contaminated drain water anymore.
In another embodiment that will be further described herein, the leg portions of the novel plant breeding gutter are each provided with an entirety open surface.
which is called "light bridge distance°, providing full light exposure to both edges of the nutritive substratum mat near its bottom surface in order to prevent any root development. Another advantage of this new plant-bleeding system is that the water evacuation channels/drains can be simply and directly supervised for the presence of blockages, by which no disturbances in water drain outlets can occur any more.
This new gutter profile, besides its possibility for developing longer suspension spans, con be also treated as a U shaped profile that shows ~ higher resistance against bending, which principally results in a lower number of suspension points along the gutter length e.g, lengths of over 150 200 meters are normal for greenhouses.
Furthermore, however, plant debris and garbage may easily fall into the water drains and cause blockage during greenhouse farming. In order to prevent this the upwardly curved edges of the water drains may be slightly bent towards the vertical interior section. "therefore the dimension of ~ fall-through gap and as a consequence the dimension of the debris will be minimized as to such an extent that it will cause no extra maintenance.
In another embodiment of the novel plant-breeding gutter the free upwardly curved edges of the water drains, according to the first crnbodiment as described above, will be extended upwardly to reach a certain height level that will cover both vertical legs of the U, thus forming the new and rn3in exterior sidewalls. Said new exterior sidewalls are now provided with cut-outs, holes or the like of any configuration or shape in order to obtain light openings for the double sided watts by which the undesired root growth outside the nutritive substratum mat is again prevented or at least restricted to a rninirr~um_ Both embodiments of the platform gutter profile as well as any other embodiment of the plant-breeding gutter may, if desired, be provided with a groove placed in the middle of the plant breeding gutter profile in order to improve a permanent positioning of the nutritive substratum mat on the platform bottom section. Such in addition to the advantage of having of having made the width of this platform bottom section equal to the total width of the seating surface far positioning the nutritive substratum mat. This will enable the central bottom sideline of the plastic cover (foil) to sGghtty protnrde into the groove, by which a tendency to sideward sliding caused by incidental pushing will be resisted-The innovation also relates to the method for continuous production of such novel plant breeding gutters for greenhouse farming over rather large lengths whereby a mobile roll-forming machine for continuous production of a gutter profile is used. Due to its improved resistance against bending and thus by its strength the simultaneous suspension of the new plant-breeding gutter which is 34 produced in great lengths of app. 100 meters or more and supported on suitable S
suspension elements creates less problems too; kinking (twisting, bending) of yet unsuspended plant-breeding profile sections after they have been roll-formed shall therefore occur less frequently.
There is also provided, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, plant troughs for use in a new cultivation system, in which a U profile of the trough, which is adapted to be held up by suspension elements along its length, is made up largely of an upper surface, the size of which coincides almost with the width of a nutrition mat designed to be positioned on it, and in which branches of the U diverge from the surface, towards the base, on both sides, for a considerable distance, which is called the distance apart, which is larger or at least equal to the depth of the nutrition mat, free ends of the branches being bent down towards the outside and then slightly upwards so that each of them forms an evacuation channel for water or drain.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a continuous manufacturing method for a plant trough, the method comprising:
using a 1 S roller-equipped profiling machine in which a profiling machine is equipped with several sets of rollers which together form, in cross-section, a U shaped profile in which the bottom of the U is towards the top and at the bottom of the two sides the branches extend downwards for a certain distance to allow water to run away, and also get thinner to form a narrower drainage profile in which the water which has run away can be collected, so that the deformation of the edges of the two drainage profiles made by the rollers also offers the necessary resistance to the trough profiles to suspend the plant trough.
The invention is described by showing some embodiments and with reference to the drawing hereinafter.
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a traditional U-shaped plant breeding gutter;
Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the new plant breeding platform gutter;
Fig. 3 shows a side view of a plant-breeding gutter as shown in Fig. 2 upon which a nutritive substratum mat is positioned;
Sa Fig. 4 shows in a side View the location of a nutritive substratum mat placed inside a traditional plant-Breeding gutter;
Fig. 5 shows in a perspective view another new plant breeding gutter provided with a longitudinal groove;
Fig. 6 shows in a side view a new plant breeding gutter provided with upwardly curved gutter edges pointing inwards;
Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the new plant breeding gutter.
A traditional plant breeding U-shaped gutter 1 is profiled in Fig. 1 with two upwardly directed sidewalls 2 with curled edge portions on opposite sides, each going over into a bottom portion 3 of the water evacuation channel or drain 4, which is enclosed between the sidewalls Z and the gutter walls 5 that upwardly continues into the flat bottom 6 of the gutter 1. Having a width that fits as a lid between the upwardly pointing sidewalls 2 of the gutter 1, the nutritive substratum mat 7 will be placed onto the flat bottom 6 of the gutter 1, whose interrelationship can be seen in Fig.
4.
Openings or holes are precut in the bottom side edges of the mat portions as to let superfluous nutrition water escape into the lower portion of the channel or drain 4. It is obvious that in the s G
darkness the plant roots can easily grow from the nutritive substratum mat through these holes cut therein foot shown) down into_ the bottom 3 of the water drain channel 4 thereby causing serious blockage of the water drain. The presence of the undesired root growth wilt be hardly noticeable from the outside because the nutritive substratum mat ? acts as a fitting lid on top of the plant-breEding gutter 1 and thereby creates a dark space underneath, by which, in the darkness, the coat growth can develop and so reach dawn into the existing water channel 4 below.
Regularly, that is to say, 4 times during a year round breeding period, the substratum lid edges arc lifted to cut off the bundles of protruding routs of each plant. This handling inevitably causes amputation of the plant parts !roots).
This root growth problem and its amputation is solved by the invention shown in Fig. 2 which shows a new plant breeding gutter according tv the new method.
The nutritive substratum mat 8 is now directly placed with its entirE tower surface on top of the platform section 9 of the plant-breeding gutter 10, from which (top section 9) the sidewalls 1 1 are slightly sloping downwards and after a bend in a vertical direction go over into the water evacuation channels or drains 12.
Between the bottom of the nutritive substratum gnat 8 and she bottom portion of tha water drains 12 a substantial distance of e.g. 8 cm is provided, which prevents the root growth from the cutout drain holes (not shown) near the bottom surface.edges of the nutritive substratum mat 8 down towards the water drains 12 at the bottom to stop beyond the platform edges on both sides. Due to this new location of the nutritive substratum mat the flow of the drained water is extremely effective.
Nevertheless there remains also the pollution problem of the water drains, which arc open on top and thereby are collecting inevitably falling down plant debris_ The extent of such a pollution may be avoided, as shown in FFg. 6 in a side view, by shaping the exterior wall sections 13 of the water drains 12 pointing upwards in such a way that their edges ace now also bent in an inward direction.
The space of the gap is so minimized and yet a visible control is allowed.
In Fig. 5-fi a plant-breeding gutter is shown whereby the platform or seating surface for the nutritive substratum mat (not shown here) is preferably provided with a longitudinal groove 15, having a width of e.g. 2 cm and a curvature of . e.g. 1 cm. The longitudinal groove 15 may be used for keeping a nutritive substratum rnat 8 in place so that it cannot easily slip away side wards. Also a IO slightly corrugated platform surface would serve a similar purpose_ The corrugation rnay be positioned in any direction or symmetrically V-shaped, the bottom of the V positioned upon the central line of the platfom~. The top-seating surface or platform of the new plant-breeding gutter may be entirely fiat, or provided with at least one groove, but also it may be slightly bent or sloped l5 under a small angle from the center of the platform towards the opposite sidewalls. The required bending strength of the plant-breeding gutter that will be suspended over a considerablE span distances of e_g. 2-5 meters, has to be taken into account since the allowable Ivad increases during the end of the breeding period.
In another embodiment of the novel plant breeding gutter 16, shown itt Fg. 7, each leg bottom forms a separate water drain 7 2, which exterior free end is subsequently extended upwardly to reach a certain height level that Covers both legs of the U, thus forming the additional exterior sidewalk 13'. These additional 25 exterior sidewalls 13' are provided with longitudinal cut-out holes 17 in order to obtain tight openings allowing the entrance of light upon the internal thralls 1 t and into the drain channels 12. This light entrance prevents the undesired root growth beyond the bottom side of the nutritive substratum mat 8. The number, shape and position of such cutout holes should satisfy the required light g entrance, the material rigidity as well as to minimize the possible collection of plant debris.
It will be sufficient for the distantly arranged suspending elements (not shown here) if they can hook-up onto the underside of the water drains 12 as this suspension method S provides for sufficient strength when supporting a plant breeding gutter according to Fig. 2, 5 and 7.
It may be clear that without deviating from the innovated platform principle while providing for light entrance the profiling of the plant-breeding gutter may be altered.
The height of the leg portions of the U can be varied according to plant breeding specifications, provided that sufficient profile strength is guaranteed. Other potential requirements and wishes can also be incorporated in the gutter design by means of changing the constructive specifications of the roller units.
For instance, it may also be required to incorporate corrugated ribs against kinking (twisting, bending) in the upstanding wall surfaces of the breeding gutter profiles, specifically in cases when thinner band material is being roll formed. Any orientation of these ribs may be provided for.
The plurality of cutouts, holes or the like on the external sidewalk for the purpose of suspending the plant breeding gutter on one hand as well as material saving and/or weight reducing requirement can be also incorporated into the design of the plant-breeding gutter.
If the legs of the breeding gutter profile are slightly sloped in an outward direction then it is also possible to stack (nest) the gutters on top of each other.
The plant breeding gutters can be made of metal band material, which is coated on both sides. Yet another option includes so-called Plastisol coating to be used for the coating of the external side of the plant-breeding gutter.
The new plant breeding gutter or trough, as depicted in Fig. 2 for example, defines a U-shaped profile preferably having a ratio between a width of the upper surface 9 (i.e.
the platform section) and the distance between a bottom of the upper surface 9 and a 8a bottom of the water evacuation channels or drain 12, is greater than or at maximum equal to 1.
Further, the plant trough of the present invention is preferably produced using a substantially continuous manufacturing method, which includes using a roller-s equipped profiling machine. The profiling machine includes several sets of rollers which together form, in cross-section, a U-shaped profile in which the bottom of the U is towards the top and at the bottom of the two sides the branches extend downwards for a certain distance, to allow water to run away, and also get thinner to form a narrower drainage profile in which the water which has run away can be collected, so that the deformation of the edges of the two drainage profiles made by the rollers also offers the necessary resistance to the trough profiles to suspend the plant trough. Preferably, a painted metallic material is used which can be coated on both sides and applied to the outside of a plant trough using a plastisol paint.
In a traditional plant breeding gutter system a suitable nutritive substratum mat is placed inside a U shaped gutter provided with an elevated bottom section. The mat closes the gutter off like a lid. On both sides of the elevated central bottom section there are provided shallow water evacuation channels or water drains. The nutritive substratum mat is enclosed by the sidewalk of the gutter end basically kept in the dark space underneath where the plant roots will always quickly grow. The plant roots will subsequently find their way through drain holes, which are necessarily cut in the bottom side surface of the plastic foil that encloses the nutritive substrahun rnat, and subsequently these roots enter the water drains. The seating surface, located centrally in the bottom of the gutter, only supports the nutritive substratum mat along about 70% of the total available gutter width. Because the nutritive substratum mat can not be evenly lifted up over its entire length of e.g. 2 meter length for the purpose of controlling smooth water draining and subsequently cutting off the undesired bundle of root growth, it means that under the nutritive substratum mat there will be a rather free and strong development of the plant roots. Cutting off these protruding roots will also damage the plants and if not, block the water drains. If one of the side edges of the nutritive substratum mat is unevenly sloped and the water drains are so blocked then there will be no remedy against the root growth anymore.
The innovation intends now to provide for a novel plant breeding system by means of a platform gutter allowing full light entrance to the bottom side edges of a substratum mat to prevent by such light entrance a free root growth development outside the bottom edges of the substrate mat, whereby, amongst others, the water drainage ability of the gutter will not become restricted.
Furthermore, according to invention, the central platform bottom section of the S plant breeding gutter as viewed in a cross section will be elevated as ii a positioned above the water level in the evacuation channels or drains that are Located on a much lower level. While only 70% of the traditional U-shaped plant breeding gutter is being utilized for seating of the nutritive substratum mat.
the new platform plant breeding gutter will support for 100°!o the entire bottom surface of the nutritive substratum mat over its entire width, which is provided by the highly elevated platform bottom section. The drain holes made to that purpose in the plastic cover (foil] will now rest flatly on the available platform bottom section of the plant breeding gutter and roots will so have no accESS
for growing into the lower neighboring water drains whatsoever since light entrance prevents root growth whereas the entire bottom surface of the mat is covered by the surface of the platform.
The great advantage of this novel concept of this plant breeding gutter is achieved by the provision of a so-called light-bridge distance for the purpose of preventing the root growth of the plant by introducing light. This distance equals e.g_ 8 cm between the platform top surface and the lower water drain i~rei.
Plant root ends are "'burned off" by light and .are now unable to propagate as such to provoke disturbing blocklngs of the water drains, thus resulting in eliminating the root growth thereby also preventing root amputation. This results in minimized maintenance activities.
The highly elevated platform bottom section of the new gutter may principally have a flat surface cross section, although it may also be sloped under some small angle from the center part towards the sidewatls. It also may be possible that the elevated bottom section is slightly rounded off with a radius of e.g.
75 cm.
!n a traditional plant-breeding gutter al;l protruding plant roots emerging from the nutritive substratum mats are always laying in the same drain water. Thus there is always ~ fair chance of undesired virus or bacterial/fungi contamination from one plant to another if the drain water becomes contaminated since plant diseases are transferred via water in which the roots are placed. This novel plant breeding system completely eliminates such Chances of virus or other contamination. The roots penetrating through the holes in nutritive substratum mats have now no longer any means of getting in contact with possibly contaminated drain water anymore.
In another embodiment that will be further described herein, the leg portions of the novel plant breeding gutter are each provided with an entirety open surface.
which is called "light bridge distance°, providing full light exposure to both edges of the nutritive substratum mat near its bottom surface in order to prevent any root development. Another advantage of this new plant-bleeding system is that the water evacuation channels/drains can be simply and directly supervised for the presence of blockages, by which no disturbances in water drain outlets can occur any more.
This new gutter profile, besides its possibility for developing longer suspension spans, con be also treated as a U shaped profile that shows ~ higher resistance against bending, which principally results in a lower number of suspension points along the gutter length e.g, lengths of over 150 200 meters are normal for greenhouses.
Furthermore, however, plant debris and garbage may easily fall into the water drains and cause blockage during greenhouse farming. In order to prevent this the upwardly curved edges of the water drains may be slightly bent towards the vertical interior section. "therefore the dimension of ~ fall-through gap and as a consequence the dimension of the debris will be minimized as to such an extent that it will cause no extra maintenance.
In another embodiment of the novel plant-breeding gutter the free upwardly curved edges of the water drains, according to the first crnbodiment as described above, will be extended upwardly to reach a certain height level that will cover both vertical legs of the U, thus forming the new and rn3in exterior sidewalls. Said new exterior sidewalls are now provided with cut-outs, holes or the like of any configuration or shape in order to obtain light openings for the double sided watts by which the undesired root growth outside the nutritive substratum mat is again prevented or at least restricted to a rninirr~um_ Both embodiments of the platform gutter profile as well as any other embodiment of the plant-breeding gutter may, if desired, be provided with a groove placed in the middle of the plant breeding gutter profile in order to improve a permanent positioning of the nutritive substratum mat on the platform bottom section. Such in addition to the advantage of having of having made the width of this platform bottom section equal to the total width of the seating surface far positioning the nutritive substratum mat. This will enable the central bottom sideline of the plastic cover (foil) to sGghtty protnrde into the groove, by which a tendency to sideward sliding caused by incidental pushing will be resisted-The innovation also relates to the method for continuous production of such novel plant breeding gutters for greenhouse farming over rather large lengths whereby a mobile roll-forming machine for continuous production of a gutter profile is used. Due to its improved resistance against bending and thus by its strength the simultaneous suspension of the new plant-breeding gutter which is 34 produced in great lengths of app. 100 meters or more and supported on suitable S
suspension elements creates less problems too; kinking (twisting, bending) of yet unsuspended plant-breeding profile sections after they have been roll-formed shall therefore occur less frequently.
There is also provided, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, plant troughs for use in a new cultivation system, in which a U profile of the trough, which is adapted to be held up by suspension elements along its length, is made up largely of an upper surface, the size of which coincides almost with the width of a nutrition mat designed to be positioned on it, and in which branches of the U diverge from the surface, towards the base, on both sides, for a considerable distance, which is called the distance apart, which is larger or at least equal to the depth of the nutrition mat, free ends of the branches being bent down towards the outside and then slightly upwards so that each of them forms an evacuation channel for water or drain.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a continuous manufacturing method for a plant trough, the method comprising:
using a 1 S roller-equipped profiling machine in which a profiling machine is equipped with several sets of rollers which together form, in cross-section, a U shaped profile in which the bottom of the U is towards the top and at the bottom of the two sides the branches extend downwards for a certain distance to allow water to run away, and also get thinner to form a narrower drainage profile in which the water which has run away can be collected, so that the deformation of the edges of the two drainage profiles made by the rollers also offers the necessary resistance to the trough profiles to suspend the plant trough.
The invention is described by showing some embodiments and with reference to the drawing hereinafter.
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a traditional U-shaped plant breeding gutter;
Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the new plant breeding platform gutter;
Fig. 3 shows a side view of a plant-breeding gutter as shown in Fig. 2 upon which a nutritive substratum mat is positioned;
Sa Fig. 4 shows in a side View the location of a nutritive substratum mat placed inside a traditional plant-Breeding gutter;
Fig. 5 shows in a perspective view another new plant breeding gutter provided with a longitudinal groove;
Fig. 6 shows in a side view a new plant breeding gutter provided with upwardly curved gutter edges pointing inwards;
Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the new plant breeding gutter.
A traditional plant breeding U-shaped gutter 1 is profiled in Fig. 1 with two upwardly directed sidewalls 2 with curled edge portions on opposite sides, each going over into a bottom portion 3 of the water evacuation channel or drain 4, which is enclosed between the sidewalls Z and the gutter walls 5 that upwardly continues into the flat bottom 6 of the gutter 1. Having a width that fits as a lid between the upwardly pointing sidewalls 2 of the gutter 1, the nutritive substratum mat 7 will be placed onto the flat bottom 6 of the gutter 1, whose interrelationship can be seen in Fig.
4.
Openings or holes are precut in the bottom side edges of the mat portions as to let superfluous nutrition water escape into the lower portion of the channel or drain 4. It is obvious that in the s G
darkness the plant roots can easily grow from the nutritive substratum mat through these holes cut therein foot shown) down into_ the bottom 3 of the water drain channel 4 thereby causing serious blockage of the water drain. The presence of the undesired root growth wilt be hardly noticeable from the outside because the nutritive substratum mat ? acts as a fitting lid on top of the plant-breEding gutter 1 and thereby creates a dark space underneath, by which, in the darkness, the coat growth can develop and so reach dawn into the existing water channel 4 below.
Regularly, that is to say, 4 times during a year round breeding period, the substratum lid edges arc lifted to cut off the bundles of protruding routs of each plant. This handling inevitably causes amputation of the plant parts !roots).
This root growth problem and its amputation is solved by the invention shown in Fig. 2 which shows a new plant breeding gutter according tv the new method.
The nutritive substratum mat 8 is now directly placed with its entirE tower surface on top of the platform section 9 of the plant-breeding gutter 10, from which (top section 9) the sidewalls 1 1 are slightly sloping downwards and after a bend in a vertical direction go over into the water evacuation channels or drains 12.
Between the bottom of the nutritive substratum gnat 8 and she bottom portion of tha water drains 12 a substantial distance of e.g. 8 cm is provided, which prevents the root growth from the cutout drain holes (not shown) near the bottom surface.edges of the nutritive substratum mat 8 down towards the water drains 12 at the bottom to stop beyond the platform edges on both sides. Due to this new location of the nutritive substratum mat the flow of the drained water is extremely effective.
Nevertheless there remains also the pollution problem of the water drains, which arc open on top and thereby are collecting inevitably falling down plant debris_ The extent of such a pollution may be avoided, as shown in FFg. 6 in a side view, by shaping the exterior wall sections 13 of the water drains 12 pointing upwards in such a way that their edges ace now also bent in an inward direction.
The space of the gap is so minimized and yet a visible control is allowed.
In Fig. 5-fi a plant-breeding gutter is shown whereby the platform or seating surface for the nutritive substratum mat (not shown here) is preferably provided with a longitudinal groove 15, having a width of e.g. 2 cm and a curvature of . e.g. 1 cm. The longitudinal groove 15 may be used for keeping a nutritive substratum rnat 8 in place so that it cannot easily slip away side wards. Also a IO slightly corrugated platform surface would serve a similar purpose_ The corrugation rnay be positioned in any direction or symmetrically V-shaped, the bottom of the V positioned upon the central line of the platfom~. The top-seating surface or platform of the new plant-breeding gutter may be entirely fiat, or provided with at least one groove, but also it may be slightly bent or sloped l5 under a small angle from the center of the platform towards the opposite sidewalls. The required bending strength of the plant-breeding gutter that will be suspended over a considerablE span distances of e_g. 2-5 meters, has to be taken into account since the allowable Ivad increases during the end of the breeding period.
In another embodiment of the novel plant breeding gutter 16, shown itt Fg. 7, each leg bottom forms a separate water drain 7 2, which exterior free end is subsequently extended upwardly to reach a certain height level that Covers both legs of the U, thus forming the additional exterior sidewalk 13'. These additional 25 exterior sidewalls 13' are provided with longitudinal cut-out holes 17 in order to obtain tight openings allowing the entrance of light upon the internal thralls 1 t and into the drain channels 12. This light entrance prevents the undesired root growth beyond the bottom side of the nutritive substratum mat 8. The number, shape and position of such cutout holes should satisfy the required light g entrance, the material rigidity as well as to minimize the possible collection of plant debris.
It will be sufficient for the distantly arranged suspending elements (not shown here) if they can hook-up onto the underside of the water drains 12 as this suspension method S provides for sufficient strength when supporting a plant breeding gutter according to Fig. 2, 5 and 7.
It may be clear that without deviating from the innovated platform principle while providing for light entrance the profiling of the plant-breeding gutter may be altered.
The height of the leg portions of the U can be varied according to plant breeding specifications, provided that sufficient profile strength is guaranteed. Other potential requirements and wishes can also be incorporated in the gutter design by means of changing the constructive specifications of the roller units.
For instance, it may also be required to incorporate corrugated ribs against kinking (twisting, bending) in the upstanding wall surfaces of the breeding gutter profiles, specifically in cases when thinner band material is being roll formed. Any orientation of these ribs may be provided for.
The plurality of cutouts, holes or the like on the external sidewalk for the purpose of suspending the plant breeding gutter on one hand as well as material saving and/or weight reducing requirement can be also incorporated into the design of the plant-breeding gutter.
If the legs of the breeding gutter profile are slightly sloped in an outward direction then it is also possible to stack (nest) the gutters on top of each other.
The plant breeding gutters can be made of metal band material, which is coated on both sides. Yet another option includes so-called Plastisol coating to be used for the coating of the external side of the plant-breeding gutter.
The new plant breeding gutter or trough, as depicted in Fig. 2 for example, defines a U-shaped profile preferably having a ratio between a width of the upper surface 9 (i.e.
the platform section) and the distance between a bottom of the upper surface 9 and a 8a bottom of the water evacuation channels or drain 12, is greater than or at maximum equal to 1.
Further, the plant trough of the present invention is preferably produced using a substantially continuous manufacturing method, which includes using a roller-s equipped profiling machine. The profiling machine includes several sets of rollers which together form, in cross-section, a U-shaped profile in which the bottom of the U is towards the top and at the bottom of the two sides the branches extend downwards for a certain distance, to allow water to run away, and also get thinner to form a narrower drainage profile in which the water which has run away can be collected, so that the deformation of the edges of the two drainage profiles made by the rollers also offers the necessary resistance to the trough profiles to suspend the plant trough. Preferably, a painted metallic material is used which can be coated on both sides and applied to the outside of a plant trough using a plastisol paint.
Claims (10)
1. Plant troughs for use in a new cultivation system, in which a U profile of the trough, which is adapted to be held up by suspension elements along its length, is made up largely of an upper surface, the size of which coincides almost with the width of a nutrition mat designed to be positioned on it, and in which branches of the U diverge from the surface, towards the base, on both sides, for a considerable distance, which is called the distance apart, which is larger or at least equal to the depth of the nutrition mat, free ends of the branches being bent down towards the outside and then slightly upwards so that each of them forms an evacuation channel for water or drain.
2. Plant trough according to claim 1, wherein in the U profile of the plant trough, the relationship between a width of the upper surface for the nutrition mat and a distance between a bottom of the surface of the nutrition mat and a bottom of the water evacuation channel or drain is larger than or at maximum equal to 1.
3. Plant trough according to claim 2, wherein the water evacuation channel or drain is visible permanently on the outside and thus also allows a simple check for any possible blockages in the water evacuation channel.
4. Plant trough according to claim 3, wherein the profile of the plant trough is at least partially defined by the branches on each side of the U which lean toward each other at a slight angle.
5. Plant trough according to claim 3, wherein the profile of the plant trough includes the two branches of the U deviating one from the other at an angle .beta. so that two said U form plant troughs can lodge one in the other.
6. Plant trough according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein the surface of the profile of the trough has at least one groove to fix the lateral position of the nutrition mat.
7. Plant trough according to any of the claims 1 to 6 wherein each upright side of the profile of the trough, which form the outer side of the water evacuation channel or drain is bent towards the branch of the U in such a way that there remains only a small gap between it and the side, to prevent entry of plant waste.
8. A continuous manufacturing method for a plant trough according to any of the claims 1 to 7, the method comprising: using a roller-equipped profiling machine in which a profiling machine is equipped with several sets of rollers which together form, in cross-section, a U shaped profile in which the bottom of the U is towards the top and at the bottom of the two sides the branches extend downwards for a certain distance, to allow water to run away, and also get thinner to form a narrower drainage profile in which the water which has run away can be collected, so that the deformation of the edges of the two drainage profiles made by the rollers also offers the necessary resistance to the trough profiles to suspend the plant trough.
9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising using a painted metallic material, which is coated on both sides.
10. The method according to claim 9, in which the coating is formed on the outside of the plant trough with a plastisol plant.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE29920272U DE29920272U1 (en) | 1999-09-24 | 1999-09-24 | Gutters for plant growing |
| DE29920272.0U | 1999-09-24 | ||
| PCT/EP2000/009582 WO2001022800A2 (en) | 1999-09-24 | 2000-09-25 | Channels for plant breeding |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2385896A1 CA2385896A1 (en) | 2001-04-05 |
| CA2385896C true CA2385896C (en) | 2007-03-06 |
Family
ID=8081779
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002385896A Expired - Fee Related CA2385896C (en) | 1999-09-24 | 2000-09-25 | Platform gutter for plant breeding |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP1213955B1 (en) |
| AT (1) | ATE241898T1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2385896C (en) |
| DE (2) | DE29920272U1 (en) |
| ES (1) | ES2200956T3 (en) |
| NL (1) | NL1013457C1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2001022800A2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL1027534C2 (en) | 2004-11-17 | 2005-10-18 | W D Products Metaal B V | Cultivation gutter for supporting substrate material with a growing crop therein in a department store. |
| ES2323341B1 (en) * | 2006-09-27 | 2010-04-07 | Invernasur, S.L. | SUPPORT SUPPORT FOR HYDROPONIC IRRIGATION. |
| NL1034638C2 (en) * | 2007-11-05 | 2008-07-01 | Dalsem Tuinbouwprojecten B V | Greenhouse, has cultivation drain with central length axis extending through roof and drain support legs |
| WO2009107124A1 (en) * | 2008-02-25 | 2009-09-03 | Netafim Ltd | Plant support structure |
| EP3557973B1 (en) * | 2016-12-23 | 2022-06-01 | Cultivation Systems B.V. | Grooved stackable panel for floating cultivation of plants |
| US12133488B2 (en) * | 2020-02-20 | 2024-11-05 | Hippo Harvest Inc. | Low flow plumbing system |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL8502104A (en) * | 1985-07-22 | 1987-02-16 | Flowmagic Bv | DEEP-DRAWN PLASTIC HOLDER, IN PARTICULAR SUBSTRATE BIN, AND ASSEMBLY OF SUCH BINS, AND A COUPLER FROM THIS ASSEMBLY. |
| NL8702519A (en) * | 1987-07-22 | 1989-02-16 | Rockwool Lapinus Bv | CULTIVATION SYSTEM, A MONOBLOCK AND A MONOBLOCK HOLDER, INTENDED FOR APPLICATION IN THE CULTIVATION SYSTEM. |
| CA2073892A1 (en) * | 1992-07-15 | 1994-01-16 | Paul Houweling | Watering gutters |
| NL1006295C2 (en) * | 1997-06-12 | 1998-12-15 | Maarten De Vroom | Equipment for cultivating vegetation on substrate |
-
1999
- 1999-09-24 DE DE29920272U patent/DE29920272U1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1999-11-02 NL NL1013457A patent/NL1013457C1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2000
- 2000-09-25 ES ES00971307T patent/ES2200956T3/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2000-09-25 AT AT00971307T patent/ATE241898T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2000-09-25 CA CA002385896A patent/CA2385896C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2000-09-25 WO PCT/EP2000/009582 patent/WO2001022800A2/en active IP Right Grant
- 2000-09-25 DE DE50002476T patent/DE50002476D1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2000-09-25 EP EP00971307A patent/EP1213955B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2385896A1 (en) | 2001-04-05 |
| WO2001022800A3 (en) | 2001-10-11 |
| ES2200956T3 (en) | 2004-03-16 |
| DE50002476D1 (en) | 2003-07-10 |
| ATE241898T1 (en) | 2003-06-15 |
| EP1213955A2 (en) | 2002-06-19 |
| EP1213955B1 (en) | 2003-06-04 |
| DE29920272U1 (en) | 2000-11-02 |
| WO2001022800A2 (en) | 2001-04-05 |
| NL1013457C1 (en) | 2001-03-27 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |
Effective date: 20150925 |