Portable greenhouse working on solar system

• US 5,101,593 A
• Filed: 03/07/1990
• Issued: 04/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kashyap K.B. Bhatt
• Original Assignee: Kashyap K.B. Bhatt
• Inventors: Bhatt, Kashyap K. B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Raduazo, Henry E.
• Application Number:
  US07/496,629
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 47/17, 47/61, 47/62
• US Class Current: 47/17
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/16 Dismountable or portable greenhouses ; Greenhouses with sliding roofs
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/243 Collecting solar energy in general F24S
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/12 using renewable energies, e.g. solar water pumping

Abstract

A solar greenhouse includes walls and a roof which together with a floor form a closed chamber. Windows are provided to permit the entry of light into a major part of the chamber where growth will occur while restricting light to a minor portion thereof where germination of seeds occurs. Racks for stacked growing trays are provided; preferably the upper part of the chamber is used for germination. The greenhouse further includes apparatus for accumulating solar energy in the form of electrical energy so as to drive irrigation pumps and fans and also in the form of thermal energy to assist in maintaining desired temperatures in the chamber.

Claims

1. A solar greenhouse comprising

wall means including a roof, a floor, walls interconnecting said roof and floor so as to form a closed chamber;

said chamber having an upper minor portion and a lower, major portion;

window means disposed in at least one side wall forming said lower portion of said chamber to provide a generally higher level of natural lighting in said lower portion than in said upper portion;

solar energy accumulating means comprising electrical energy accumulating means including rechargeable battery means and photo-voltaic cell means interconnected therewith, and thermal energy accumulating means;

means associated with said energy accumulating means for controlling the temperature within said chamber,

and rack means adjacent said at least one side wall for supporting a plurality of growing trays one above the other extending from said lower portion of said chamber into said upper portion thereof.

2. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 1, wherein said window means includes clear double skinned polycarbonate sheet having an air gap between said skins.

3. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 1, wherein said thermal energy accumulator means includes refrigeration means.

4. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 3, wherein said thermal energy accumulating means includes a water tank for storing water cooled by said refrigeration means.

5. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 1 further comprising fan means for inducing a flow of air into said chamber.

6. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 5, wherein said temperature controlling means includes heat exchange means connected in thermal relationship with said thermal energy accumulating means, said heat exchange means locating in a position such that said flow of induced air passes thereover.

7. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 6, wherein said heat exchange means comprises a porous screen over which said cooled water is trickled.

8. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 5, wherein at least ones of said window means are louvred to permit the exhaustion of air from said chamber.

9. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 8, wherein said fan means in mounted on a lower portion of said wall means generally opposed to said louvred window means to provide a cross flow of air through said chamber.

10. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 1, further including a base on which said chamber is mounted, and reservoir means for irrigation water contained within said base.

11. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 10, wherein said battery means is mounted in said base.

12. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 1, further including discharge light means for illuminating said lower portions of said chamber.

13. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 1, wherein said wall means are prefabricated and wherein non-window portions thereof are thermally insulated.

14. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 1, further including irrigating water distribution means supported from said rack means.

15. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 1, wherein said rack means is structured to permit increasing vertical separation between trays supported therein on approach to the lower end of said racks.

16. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 1, wherein ones of said windows are vertically openable to permit the passage of trays into and from said greenhouse.

17. A solar greenhouse as defined in claim 1, wherein the height ratio of said upper minor portion of said chamber to said lower major portion thereof is in the ratio of about 1:

2.