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CN-121986712-A - Rotational molding device and rotational molding system for vertical agriculture

CN121986712ACN 121986712 ACN121986712 ACN 121986712ACN-121986712-A

Abstract

There is provided a planting system that includes a rotomolded chassis defining (i) an "interior" in which plants are/can be positioned, and (ii) an exterior at least partially defining a perimeter around the interior. The chassis typically includes stacking elements that enable one chassis to be stacked with another. The disclosed planting system also typically includes (i) means for delivering liquid into the tray, (ii) means for draining liquid from the tray, and (iii) means for supporting plants that facilitate plant growth within the tray.

Inventors

  • Roger Biro

Assignees

  • 新航空农场有限公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20181120

Claims (16)

  1. 1. A planting system, comprising: a. A first rotomoulded chassis for supporting plant growth, the first rotomoulded chassis comprising one or more side walls defining an outer perimeter, a first hollow space (24) and an interior region (18), wherein the first hollow space (24) defines a portion of the side walls (20) through which a nutrient solution is delivered to the interior region of the first rotomoulded chassis, and a second hollow space (26) defined in a portion of the side walls (20) to facilitate the discharge of nutrient solution from the interior region (18), the first hollow space (24) and the second hollow space (26) both defining a portion of the side walls (20); b. A second rotomoulding chassis for supporting plant growth, the second rotomoulding chassis being adapted to be stacked relative to the first rotomoulding chassis, the second rotomoulding chassis comprising one or more side walls defining an outer periphery, a first hollow space (24) and an inner region (18), wherein the first hollow space (24) is defined in a portion of the side walls (20) through which first hollow space (24) nutrient solution is delivered to the inner region of the second rotomoulding chassis, and a second hollow space (26) defined in a portion of the side walls (20) to facilitate the discharge of the nutrient solution from the inner region (18); c. A joint between the first rotomolded bottom tub and the second rotomolded bottom tub to facilitate stacking of the second rotomolded chassis relative to the first rotomolded chassis; Wherein the first rotomoulding chassis comprises a stacking feature that allows the first rotomoulding chassis to be stacked directly on the joint and the second rotomoulding chassis comprises a stacking feature that allows the first rotomoulding chassis to be stacked directly on the joint.
  2. 2. The planting system of claim 1, further comprising one or more planting trays movably positioned in an interior region of the first rotomolded chassis and supported by the first rotomolded chassis.
  3. 3. The planting system of claim 2, wherein the second rotomolded chassis further comprises one or more planting trays located in and supported by the interior region of the second rotomolded chassis.
  4. 4. The planting system of claim 2, wherein the first rotomolded chassis defines one or more structures associated with an inner surface thereof, and wherein the one or more structures are effective to support at least one of the one or more planting trays.
  5. 5. The planting system of claim 4, wherein the one or more structures are selected from the group consisting of a flange formed on a sidewall of the first rotomolded chassis, one or more support structure steps formed on the first rotomolded chassis, one or more protrusions formed on the first rotomolded chassis, and one or more support structures adhered to the first rotomolded chassis.
  6. 6. The planting system of claim 1, wherein the second rotational molded chassis is stacked above the first rotational molded chassis, and wherein nutrient solution is drained from the second rotational molded chassis to the first rotational molded chassis.
  7. 7. The planting system of claim 2, wherein the stacking feature of the first rotomolded chassis blocks the one or more planting trays at corners of the first rotomolded chassis, preventing the one or more planting trays from sliding directly out of the first rotomolded chassis.
  8. 8. A planting system according to claim 3, wherein the stacking feature of the second rotomoulded chassis blocks the one or more planting trays at corners of the second rotomoulded chassis, preventing the one or more planting trays from sliding directly out of the second rotomoulded chassis.
  9. 9. The planting system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and the second rotational moulding chassis are each provided with at least one check valve (200), the check valves (200) draining nutrient solution from the respective inner area.
  10. 10. The planting system according to claim 9, wherein the check valve (200) is at least partially rotated when the pressure in the respective interior area reaches a preset threshold value, allowing nutrient solution to drain.
  11. 11. The planting system according to claim 10, wherein the check valve (200) comprises a nozzle portion (202) and a nozzle flap portion (204).
  12. 12. A planting system according to claim 11, characterized in that the nozzle portion (202) is arranged to spray nutrient solution into the air.
  13. 13. The planting system according to claim 12, wherein when a nutrient delivery line is pressurized, nutrient solution pushes the nozzle flapper portion (204) to a closed position, causing the nutrient solution to build up pressure against the nozzle flapper portion (204) and forcing the nutrient solution out of one or more orifices of the nozzle portion (202).
  14. 14. The planting system of claim 13, wherein the nutrient solution, after being ejected from one or more orifices of the nozzle portion (202), is atomized to form a spray.
  15. 15. A planting system according to claim 13, characterized in that the nozzle flap part (204) rotates under gravity of the nutrient solution collected by or above itself when the pressure of the nutrient solution feed line is released, causing the nutrient solution to drain from the interior area (18).
  16. 16. The planting system of claim 1, wherein the joint has a member for supporting one or more electrical light sources, the support member comprising at least one of a flange, a groove, a hole, or a recess; The recess has a contour (402) that matches at least a section of the one or more electrical light sources to secure and support the one or more electrical light sources; The one or more electrical light sources are removably mounted with respect to the first rotomoulded chassis and are arranged to emit light at an interior region (18) of the first rotomoulded chassis.

Description

Rotational molding device and rotational molding system for vertical agriculture The present application is a divisional application, the application number of the original application is 201811385748.2, the original application date is 11 months 20 days in 2018, and the whole content of the original application is incorporated by reference. Technical Field The present application relates to a rotational moulding apparatus and system for vertical agricultural applications. Background The planting environment of indoor agriculture serves a variety of functions including supporting plants, allowing nutrient transport, and forming a barrier for pests. Moreover, the indoor agricultural planting environment should not block the light from shining on the plants. Indoor agricultural planting environments are also commonly provided with a discharge path for discharging a controlled flow of liquid supplied to the plant beyond the amount that the plant can immediately use. Vertical agricultural environments, or planting systems, require that these systems provide physical support to allow construction of multiple plant layers. The multiple layers also typically require the use of artificial lighting, and the planting system requires support for artificial light sources and power feeds to energize the light sources. For small scale operations, or for single layer constructions, the industry typically uses PVC pipe and aluminum channels to make a chassis that defines the majority of constructions for any particular planting system. These configurations are designed to flow nutrient solution along the tubes/channels. Plants are supported by the vessel walls or by a secondary medium (typically polystyrene foam or plastic) so that the root system is suspended in the body of the pipe/trench and takes up nutrients. This type of construction requires drilling many holes and installing many pipes/channels. The construction process is very laborious and the installation can be referred to as a door art. These types of systems are not assembled, but rather are refined in situ. For large scale operations, a typical construction may involve building large ponds, which are periodically updated by replenishing nutrient solution. In this case, the perimeter of the pool (typically cement) provides structural support to the nutrient solution, and then a polystyrene foam "raft" floats on the water surface, allowing the plant to extend the root system into the nutrient solution through the holes in the polystyrene foam. None of these methods can be scaled effectively for use in large scale vertical agriculture. Vertical agriculture requires many plant growth layers/layers and structures to maintain vertically spaced plants. Small scale operations may be feasible but require a significant amount of labor to assemble the traditional assembly, as each opening, especially for plants, typically must be individually refined. There is a need for a mass-produced device/system that performs many of the functions required for a vertical farm planting system as a whole. The ideal device/system would be low cost, lightweight, simple to assemble, suitable for on-site construction, easy to clean, and easy to transport to its easy-to-assemble vertical farm construction site. The present application achieves these objects, as well as others. Disclosure of Invention According to an embodiment of the present application, there is provided a planting system that includes a rotomolded chassis defining (i) an interior in which plants are/can be positioned, and (ii) an exterior at least partially defining a perimeter around the interior. The chassis typically includes stacking elements that enable one chassis to be stacked with another. The disclosed planting system also typically includes (i) means for delivering liquid into the tray, (ii) means for draining liquid from the tray, and (iii) plant support means that facilitate plant growth within the tray. The disclosed planting system can further include means for containing liquid within the tray below the plant plane, the means optionally extending around the entire perimeter of the rotomolded tray such that in normal operation liquid can only drain out of the tray through the liquid drain means. Normal operations generally include all operations when the volume of water in the rotomoulded chassis is less than the volume defined by the rotomoulded chassis and the plane of plant growth. The rotomoulded chassis may advantageously be of double wall design. The double wall design may completely enclose at least one cavity that is substantially sealed from the environment. The means for delivering liquid into the chassis may comprise a hollow space defined by the outer surface of the rotomoulded chassis. The means for draining liquid into the chassis may comprise a hollow space defined by the outer surface of the rotomoulded chassis. The wall thickness of the rotational molding chassis can be more than 0.1'. Th