EP-4739095-A1 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING CART DRAINAGE FOR A MODULAR GROW TOWER

EP4739095A1EP 4739095 A1EP4739095 A1EP 4739095A1EP-4739095-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure presents systems and related methods for providing drainage in modular grow tower. One such method comprises supporting a quantity of crops on a plurality of carts, where each cart comprises a tray with perforations and fins sloped to direct water and/or nutrients towards the perforations; traversing the carts in a moving path from a top end to a bottom end of the grow tower; providing water and/or nutrients to the crops via a sustenance system comprising a watering component and a nutrient dosing component; collecting the water and/or nutrients draining through the plurality of perforations in the carts using a drainage system comprising a plurality of drainage troughs; and/or transporting the collected water and/or nutrients from the drainage troughs to a drainage pipe configured to carry the water and/or nutrients away from the grow tower.

Inventors

PETERSON, SEAN R.
TUELLER, Todd Garrett
TUELLER, Johndavid
CRAWFORD, Ryan Joseph

Assignees

Tavaci Technologies LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240705

Claims (15)

1. A system for draining a cart in an modular grow tower, comprising: a plurality 7 of body frames; a plurality of lift frames located at a first end and a second end of the modular grow tower, the plurality of body frames positioned between the plurality of lift frames; a plurality of carts configured to traverse the modular grow tower in a moving path from a top end to a bottom end of the modular grow tower, each of the plurality of carts comprising: a tray configured to support a quantity of crops; a plurality of perforations positioned proximal to a first side and a second side of the cart, the perforations configured to allow passage of water and/or nutrients; and a plurality of fins sloped to direct the water and/or nutrients towards the plurality of perforations: a sustenance system configured to provide water and/or nutrients to the crops supported by the plurality' of carts as the carts traverse the modular grow tower; a drainage system comprising a plurality of drainage troughs configured to collect the water and/or nutrients which drain from the plurality of perforations in the plurality of carts; and a computing device configured to control the sustenance system and/or watering system in provisioning of nutrient and/or water amounts according to a grow recipe.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the moving path comprises a serpentine moving path.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sustenance system comprises a watering component and a nutrient dosing component, each configured to distribute water and/or nutrients to the crops at predetermined areas of the modular grow tower.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the watering component and the nutrient dosing component each comprise a plurality of nozzles mounted within the body frames to provide water and/or nutrients to the crops located within the carts.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the watering component is coupled to one or more fluid lines which distribute water and/or nutrients to one or more trays at predetermined areas of the grow tower.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the drainage troughs are configured to transport the collected water and/or nutrients to a drainage pipe configured to carry the water and/or nutrients away from the modular grow tower.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the tray comprises foam-reinforced thermoformed plastic.
8. A method for providing drainage in an modular grow tower, comprising: supporting a quantity 7 of crops on a plurality 7 of carts, each cart comprising a tray with a plurality 7 of perforations and a plurality of fins sloped to direct water and/or nutrients towards the plurality of perforations; traversing the plurality of carts in a moving path from a top end to a bottom end of the grow tower; providing water and/or nutrients to the crops via a sustenance system comprising a watering component and a nutrient dosing component, each configured to distribute water and/or nutrients to the crops at predetermined areas of the grow tower; collecting the water and/or nutrients draining through the plurality 7 of perforations in the carts using a drainage system comprising a plurality 7 of drainage troughs; transporting the collected water and/or nutrients from the drainage troughs to a drainage pipe configured to carry the water and/or nutrients away from the grow tower.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the moving path comprises a serpentine moving path.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising monitoring, by a processor, of water usage and consumption to determine an amount of water to apply to the crops at subsequent watering stations.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the watering component and the nutrient dosing component each comprise a plurality 7 of nozzles mounted within body frames to provide water and/or nutrients to the crops located within the carts.
12. The method of claim 8, further comprising growing crops of multiple varieties.
13. A cart configured for draining excess water and/or nutrients in a grow tower, comprising: a tray configured to support a quantity of crops; a plurality of perforations positioned proximal to a first side and a second side of the cart, the perforations configured to allow passage of water and/or nutrients; a plurality of fins sloped to direct the water and/or nutrients towards the plurality of perforations; and a plurality of wheels coupled to the tray for supporting the cart as it traverses the grow tower.
14. The cart of claim 13, wherein the tray is sloped such that water and/or nutrients received by the cart are directed to the plurality of perforations positioned proximal to the first and/or second sides of the cart.
15. The cart of claim 13, wherein the tray comprises foam-reinforced thermoformed plastic.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING CART DRAINAGE FOR A MODULAR GROW TOWER CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. provisional application entitled, “Systems and Methods for Providing Cart Drainage for an Assembly Line Grow Pod,” having application number 63/512,110, filed July 6, 2023, and U.S. provisional application entitled, “Systems and Methods for Providing a Modular Grow Pod,” having application number 63/512,129, filed July 6, 2023, each of which is entirely incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] Embodiments described herein generally relate to systems and methods for providing cart drainage for a modular grow tower. BACKGROUND [0003] While crop growth technologies have advanced over the years, there are still many problems in the farming and crop industry today. As an example, while technological advances have increased efficiency and production of various crops, many factors may affect a harvest, such as weather, disease, infestation, and the like. Additionally, while the United States currently has suitable farmland to adequately provide food for the U.S. population, other countries and future populations may not have enough farmland to provide the appropriate amount of food. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present disclosure present systems and related methods for providing drainage in an modular grow tower. One such system comprises a plurality of body frames; a plurality of lift frames located at a first end and a second end of the modular grow tower, the plurality of body frames positioned between the plurality of lift frames; and/or a plurality of carts configured to traverse the modular grow tower in a moving path from a top end to a bottom end of the modular grow tower. In various embodiments, each of the plurality of carts comprises a tray configured to support a quantity of crops; a plurality of perforations positioned proximal to a first side and a second side of the cart, the perforations configured to allow passage of water and/or nutrients; and/or a plurality of fins sloped to direct the water and/or nutrients towards the plurality of perforations. The system may further include a sustenance system configured to provide water and/or nutrients to the crops supported by the plurality of carts as the carts traverse the modular grow tower; a drainage system comprising a plurality of drainage troughs configured to collect the water and/or nutrients which drain from the plurality of perforations in the plurality of carts; and/or a computing device configured to control the sustenance system and/or watering system in provisioning of nutrient and/or water amounts according to a grow recipe. [0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure also include a method comprising supporting a quantity of crops on a plurality of carts, each cart comprising a tray with a plurality of perforations and a plurality of fins sloped to direct water and/or nutrients towards the plurality of perforations; traversing the plurality of carts in a moving path from a top end to a bottom end of the grow tower; providing water and/or nutrients to the crops via a sustenance system comprising a watering component and a nutrient dosing component, each configured to distribute water and/or nutrients to the crops at predetermined areas of the modular grow tower; collecting the water and/or nutrients draining through the plurality of perforations in the carts using a drainage system comprising a plurality of drainage troughs; and/or transporting the collected water and/or nutrients from the drainage troughs to a drainage pipe configured to carry7 the water and/or nutrients away from the modular grow tower. [0005] Embodiments of the present disclosure also include a cart configured for draining excess water and/or nutrients in a modular grow tower, such that the cart includes a tray configured to support a quantity of crops; a plurality of perforations positioned proximal to a first side and a second side of the cart, the perforations configured to allow passage of water and/or nutrients; a plurality of fins sloped to direct the water and/or nutrients towards the plurality of perforations; and/or a plurality of wheels coupled to the tray for supporting the cart as it traverses the grow tower. [0006] In one or more aspects for modular grow tower systems and related methods and apparatuses, the moving path comprises a serpentine moving path; the sustenance system comprises a watering component and a nutrient dosing component, each configured to distribute water and/or nutrients to the crops at predetermined areas of the modular grow tower; the watering component and the nutrient dosing component each comprise a plurality of nozzles mounted within the body frames to provide water and/or nutrients to the crops located within the carts; the watering component is coupled to one or more fluid lines which distribute water and/or nutrients to one or more trays at pre