MODULAR SYSTEM FOR PLANT GROWTH AND AIR PURIFICATION

• US 20130118070A1
• Filed: 11/15/2012
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Living Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Living Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Marquez, Federico T.
• Application Number:
  US13/678,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20130118070A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 47/66.6
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/02 Receptacles, e.g. flower-pots or boxes self-acting watering devices A01G27/00; hanging flower baskets, holders or containers for flower-pots A47G7/00; Glasses for cultivating flowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/023 Multi-tiered planters
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/025 Containers and elements for greening walls for covering roofs A01G9/033
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/20 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions in agriculture, e.g. CO2

Abstract

A modular system for plants and air purification having a plant module with a containment portion for holding a plant growth medium and a conduit for passage of air therethrough. The modular system also contains an exhaust module having an inlet aperture for receiving air flow from the plant module, an outlet aperture and an air pumping unit arranged to pump air from the inlet aperture to the outlet aperture. The plant module and exhaust module are connectable one with the other, and wherein when connected air flow is permitted between the two units.

Claims

1. A modular system for plants and air purification comprising:

a plant module comprising

a containment portion for holding a plant growth medium,

a conduit for passage of air therethrough,

an exhaust module comprising

an inlet aperture for receiving air flow from said plant module,

an outlet aperture,

an air pumping unit arranged to urge air from the inlet aperture to the outlet aperture, said plant module and exhaust module being independent units and connectable one with the other, and wherein when connected air flow is permitted from said conduit of the plant module to said inlet aperture of the exhaust module.

2. The modular system of claim 1 wherein said plant module is connectable with one or more additional plant modules.

3. The modular system of claim 1, wherein said containment portion comprises a surface containing a plurality of apertures extending to said conduit.

4. The modular system of claim 1, wherein said air pumping unit is contained within a housing.

5. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust module has a housing and said exit aperture is located on a surface of the housing.

6. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the plant module further comprises a plant growth media selected from the group consisting of porous soil, clays, perlite, expanded clay, activated carbon, zeolites, pumice, sphagnum moss, and mixtures thereof.

7. The modular system of claim 6, wherein the growth media contains 10% to 100% pumice.

8. The modular system of claim 1, wherein at least 10% by volume of said plant growth medium is made up of particles from 5 mm to 20 mm in diameter.

9. The modular system of claim 1 further comprising watering inlets for providing water to the growth medium.

10. The modular system of claim 1, further comprising a moisture sensor which transmits data via wire or wireless transmission to a control unit.

11. The modular system of claim 10, wherein said sensor measures moisture and light levels.

12. The modular system of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of sets formed of connected plant modules each having a moisture sensor and transmitting data from said sensor to a control unit via wire or wireless transmission.

13. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the system is controlled by a control unit based on one or more variables selected from at least one of light levels, moisture levels, airflow, fan integrity and watering.

32. A modular system of claim 1, wherein said plant module comprises a sensor for detecting a condition variable, said system further comprising a control unit having a processor, said control unit receiving data from said sensor via wired or wireless communication.

33. The modular system of claim 32, wherein said condition variable is growth media moisture level, degree of light, or air flow rate or a mixture thereof.

34. The modular system of claim 32, wherein the control unit provides a notification to a user when a condition variable is outside of a predetermined range.

35. The modular system of claim 32, wherein said control unit automatically adjusts a condition variable in response to a sensor reading of a condition variable outside of a predetermined range.

36. The modular system of claim 32, wherein a user can modify a condition variable by means of said control unit.

37. The modular system of claim 32, wherein said control unit is a desktop computer, laptop or a handheld mobile device.

14. A process for assembling a modular system comprising:

connecting a plant module with an exhaust module,

said plant module having

a containment portion for holding a plant growth medium, and

a conduit for passage of air therethrough,

said exhaust module having

an inlet aperture for receiving air flow from said plant module,

an outlet aperture, and

an air pumping unit arranged to flow air from the inlet aperture to the outlet aperture,

wherein upon connection air is permitted to flow from said conduit of the plant module to said inlet aperture of the exhaust module.

15. The process of claim 14 further comprising the step of activating said air pumping unit.

16. The modular system of claim 14 wherein said plant module is connectable with one or more additional plant modules.

17. The modular system of claim 14, wherein said containment portion comprises a surface containing a plurality of apertures extending to said conduit.

18. The modular system of claim 14, wherein said air pumping unit is contained within a housing.

19. The modular system of claim 14, wherein the exhaust module has a housing and said exit aperture is located on a surface of the housing.

20. The modular system of claim 14, wherein the plant module further comprises a plant growth media selected from the group consisting of porous soil, clays, perlite, expanded clay, activated carbon, zeolites, pumice, sphagnum moss, synthetic resins for odor removal, ion-exchange resins for contaminants removal and mixtures thereof.

21. The modular system of claim 14, wherein at least 10% by volume of said plant growth medium is made up of particles from 5 mm to 20 mm in diameter.

22. The modular system of claim 21, wherein the growth media contains 10% to 100% pumice.

23. The modular system of claim 14 further comprising watering inlets for providing water to the growth medium.

24. The modular system of claim 14, wherein the moisture sensor transmits data via wire or wireless transmission to a control unit.

25. The modular system of claim 14, wherein said sensor measures moisture and light levels.

26. The modular system of claim 25 further comprising a plurality of connected plant modules each having a moisture sensor and transmitting data to a control unit via wire or wireless transmission.

27. The modular system of claim 14, wherein the system is controlled by a control unit based on one or more variables selected from light levels, moisture levels, airflow, fan integrity and watering.

28. A plant growth and air purification unit comprising,

a housing,

a containment portion for holding a plant growth medium, and

a conduit for passage of air therethrough,

said plant growth medium comprising 10% by volume particles from 5 mm to 20 mm in diameter.

29. The modular system of claim 28, wherein the growth media contains 10% to 100% pumice.

30. The modular system of claim 28, wherein the plant module further comprises a plant growth media selected from the group consisting of porous soil, clays, perlite, expanded clay, activated carbon, zeolites, pumice, sphagnum moss, and mixtures thereof.

31. A modular system for plants and air purification comprising:

a plant module comprising

a containment portion for holding a plant growth medium,

a conduit for passage of air therethrough,

an air pumping unit communicating with said conduit, and

a connecting element for connection to and additional plant module.