Apparatuses and Systems for Growing Nursery Stock
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to, a container, multiple arrangements of container and flat/tray pallets, corresponding container/flat/tray/pallet assemblies, an automated pallet assembly/disassembly system, autonomous pallet assembly transfer units, an autonomous pallet assembly transport train, and an integrated automated production system, for use in a horticultural nursery environment for: substantially reducing labor needed to produce; stabilizing of; collecting and shedding broadcast applications to; reflecting desired sunlight to foliage of; reducing root tip heating of; reducing water consumption in growing; reducing wetting of foliage of; controlling excess root growth of; and, reducing weed growth proximal to; spaced potted plants.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A containerized plant array stand-alone support structure comprising:
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a substantially horizontal upper wall portion, wherein the upper wall portion is contoured into a horizontal planar array of mutually contiguous, downwardly converging funnel segments; wherein each funnel segment of the horizontal planar array is associated with a container receptacle extending downward from the upper wall portion and concentric with a corresponding funnel segment, and wherein the segment incorporates at least one liquid overflow drainage passage proximal to the container receptacle; and wherein each of the container receptacles includes; at least one substantially upward-facing sealing surface for providing a seal between the container receptacle and a container, at least one side wall, wherein the at least one vertical side wall is tapered, a substantially horizontal bottom wall comprising at least one upward recess, wherein a bottom perimeter of the at least one container receptacle side wall is coupled along a perimeter of the bottom wall, an open upper end, at least one receptacle liquid drainage passage, and at least one containerized plant lifting tool access hole extending through an uppermost wall of the at least one upward recess, wherein the containerized plant lifting tool access hole is elevated higher from the bottom wall relative to the at least one receptacle liquid drainage passage, and wherein the at least one containerized plant lifting tool access hole is oriented substantially beneath a section of at least one upward recess in a bottom wall of a container when installed in the container receptacle.
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Specification