Aquaponics system

• US 10,080,336 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2014
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aquatree Global, LLC
• Original Assignee: Aquatree Global, LLC
• Inventors: Higgins, Kevin Whitley
• Primary Examiner(s): Valenti, Andrea M
• Application Number:
  US14/254,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20150296726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 47 62 R, 47 59 R, 47 62 E, 47 63, 47 62 C, 47 83, 47 82, 47 79, 47 65, 47 655, 47 39, 47 71
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 31/06 Hydroponic culture on racks or in stacked containers
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/10 of fish
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/00 Receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria keepnets or other containers for keeping captured fish A01K97/20; Terraria
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/21 Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/60 Fishing; Aquaculture; Aquafarming

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to aquaponics system. The aquaponics system may be comprised of a pole assembly comprising a pole having one or more pole cups affixed to the pole in a vertical orientation; an aquaculture assembly comprising a tank having a pole anchor centered therein, wherein the pole anchor is configured to receive a bottom portion of the pole, a plurality of struts configured to stabilize the pole within the tank, and at least one tank cover positioned at an opening of the tank; and a hydroponic assembly comprising one or more grow pans, wherein the one or more grow pans are removably coupled with the pole assembly, and at least one tray positioned within at least one grow pan.

Claims

1. A system for growing vegetation, the system comprising:

a pole assembly comprising a pole and two or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations, wherein at least two of the two or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations are located at different vertical locations spaced apart on the pole, wherein each of the two or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations comprise;

a pole cup operatively coupled to the pole, wherein the pole cup comprises an upper tier and a lower tier, wherein both the upper tier and lower tier encircle the pole, wherein the pole cup has one or more apertures, and wherein the pole cup is configured to receive water from outside the pole into the upper tier of the pole cup and directs the water through the lower tier of the pole cup outside the pole;

a water supply operatively coupled to the pole assembly;

a plurality of hydroponic assemblies, wherein each of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies comprise;

a grow pan comprising;

a perimeter wall comprising a first wall portion adjacent the pole and a second wall portion located distal from the pole; and

two or more channels within the grow pan;

wherein a first channel of the two or more channels receives the water adjacent the first wall portion and transfers the water to adjacent the second wall portion; and

wherein a second channel of the two or more channels receives the water adjacent the second wall portion and transfers the water to adjacent the first wall portion;

wherein at least one of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies comprises a tray operatively coupled to the grow pan that is configured to support seeds or the vegetation;

wherein the grow pan of each of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies are configured to be removeably operatively coupled to the pole cup of any of the two or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations such that the grow pan of each of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies may be located at different hydroponic assembly coupling locations located vertically on the pole or around the pole at one of the different hydroponic assembly coupling locations;

wherein the water is directed into first grow pans, travels past the seeds or the vegetation supported in the first grow pans or one or more trays and thereafter is directed out of the first grow pans into a first pole cup outside of the pole, is directed through the one or more pole cup apertures of the first pole cup to second grow pans, travels past the seeds or the vegetation supported in the second grow pans and thereafter is directed out of the second grow pans to a second pole cup outside of the pole; and

wherein flow of the water through the first grow pans, the second grow pans, the first pole cup, and the second pole cup occurs outside of the pole and allows the water to travel around the seeds or the vegetation located in the first grow pans and second grow pans.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies have a generally trapezoidal shape to allow the plurality of hydroponic assemblies to couple around an entirety of a circumference of the pole assembly.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the two or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations each comprise an apron operatively coupled to the pole or the pole cup, and wherein the plurality of hydroponic assemblies are operatively coupled to the apron or the pole cup.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first channel or the second channel of the grow pan includes a base and has a plurality of protrusions operatively coupled to the base of the grow pan and extending upward from the base of the grow pan, and wherein the plurality of protrusions restrict movement of the seeds or the vegetation while allowing the water to travel around the seeds or the vegetation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the grow pan further comprises rails, wherein the tray is positioned along the rails, and wherein the tray is configured to slide along the rails to deliver the water to the tray or the grow pan in at least two positions.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wall portion is an inner wall and the second wall portion is an outer wall, and wherein perimeter wall further comprises side walls operatively coupled the inner wall and the outer wall.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first channel or the second channel includes a base, and wherein the base of the grow pan is sloped towards or away from the pole assembly.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the water exits the grow pan via an opening in the first wall portion of the grow pan.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising an aquaculture assembly, wherein the aquaculture assembly comprises:

a tank having a pole anchor located therein, wherein the pole anchor is configured to receive a bottom portion of the pole;

a plurality of struts configured to stabilize the pole within the tank; and

at least one tank cover positioned at an opening of the tank.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more spouts, wherein each of the one or more spouts are configured to deliver the water from the pole assembly to each of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the pole assembly further comprises:

a tube within the pole assembly;

a pole cap operatively coupled to the tube and the pole assembly and comprising one or more exit slots; and

wherein the water exits the pole assembly via the one or more exit slots, and wherein the pole cap increases water pressure within the tube.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the lower tier is narrower than the upper tier.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the upper tier is angled towards the lower tier to allow the water to flow towards the lower tier.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pump configured to pump the water throughout the pole assembly.

15. A system for growing vegetation, the system comprising:

a pole assembly comprising a pole and one or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations, wherein each of the one or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations comprise;

a pole cup operatively coupled to the pole, wherein the pole cup comprises an upper tier and a lower tier, wherein both the upper tier and lower tier encircle the pole, wherein the pole cup has one or more apertures, and wherein the pole cup is configured to receive water from outside the pole into the upper tier of the pole cup and directs the water through the lower tier of the pole cup outside the pole;

a water supply operatively coupled to the pole assembly;

a plurality of hydroponic assemblies, wherein each of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies comprise;

a grow pan comprising;

a perimeter wall comprising a first wall portion adjacent the pole and a second wall portion located distal from the pole; and

two or more channels within the grow pan;

wherein a first channel of the two or more channels receives the water adjacent the first wall portion and transfers the water to adjacent the second wall portion; and

wherein a second channel of the two or more channels receives the water adjacent the second wall portion and transfers the water to adjacent the first wall portion;

wherein at least one of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies comprises a tray operatively coupled to the grow pan that is configured to support seeds or the vegetation;

wherein the grow pan of each of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies are configured to be removeably operatively coupled to the pole cup of any of the one or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations around the pole at one of the one or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations;

wherein the water is directed into the grow pan of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies, travels past the seeds or the vegetation supported in the grow pan or the tray of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies and thereafter is directed out of the grow pan of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies into the pole cup and through the one or more pole cup apertures of the of the one or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations outside of the pole; and

wherein flow of the water through the grow pan of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies and the pole cup of the of the one or more hydroponic assembly coupling locations occurs outside of the pole and allows the water to travel around the seeds or the vegetation located in the grow pan of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of hydroponic assemblies have a generally trapezoidal shape to allow the plurality of hydroponic assemblies to couple around an entirety of a circumference of the pole assembly.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first channel or the second channel of the grow pan includes a base and has a plurality of protrusions operatively coupled to the base of the grow pan and extending upward from the base of the grow pan, and wherein the plurality of protrusions restrict movement of the seeds or the vegetation while allowing the water to travel around the seeds or the vegetation.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first channel or second channel includes a base, and wherein the base of the grow pan is sloped towards or away from the pole assembly.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising an aquaculture assembly, wherein the aquaculture assembly comprises:

a tank having a pole anchor located therein, wherein the pole anchor is configured to receive a bottom portion of the pole;

a plurality of struts configured to stabilize the pole within the tank; and

at least one tank cover positioned at an opening of the tank.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the lower tier is narrower than the upper tier, and wherein the upper tier is angled towards the lower tier to allow the water to flow towards the lower tier.