Hydroponic device for plant cultivation

• US 5,440,836 A
• Filed: 03/16/1994
• Issued: 08/15/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jong-Chul Lee
• Original Assignee: Jong-Chul Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Jong-Chul
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox, David T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): McElwain, Elizabeth F.
• Application Number:
  US08/213,949
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 47/58, 47/59, 47/79, 47/60, 47/62, 47/65, 47/1.01, 47/DIG. 3
• US Class Current: 47/60
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 31/06 Hydroponic culture on racks or in stacked containers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/21 Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures

Abstract

A hydroponic device comprises a reservoir for containing culture fluid therein, one or more cultivation beds placed on the reservoir one above the other, a conduit extending vertically upwardly from the reservoir up to an uppermost cultivation bed and a fluid pump mounted on the reservoir for forcedly feeding the culture fluid to the uppermost cultivation bed through the conduit. Each of the beds includes a basin-like body which is provided with a bottom wall and an inclined side wall, the side wall having a plurality of fluid outlet holes. A canted support flange extends downwardly outwardly frame the side wall of the basin-like body. The support flange has a plurality of plant holding apertures, each of which is arranged to receive the culture fluid issued through the corresponding fluid outlet holes.

Claims

1. A hydroponic device adapted to grow plants through the use of circulative culture fluid, comprising:

a reservoir placed at a lowermost position of said hydroponic device for containing the culture fluid therein;

one or more cultivation beds lying on said reservoir one above another, each of said beds including a basin-like body which is provided with a horizontally extending bottom wall and an inclined side wall extending upwardly outwardly from the bottom wall, said side wall having a plurality of fluid outlet holes each arranged at such an elevation as to permit the culture fluid gathered in said body to overflow therethrough;

each of said cultivation beds further including a canted support flange which extends downwardly outwardly from the side wall of said body, said flange having a plurality of plant holding apertures each capable of anchoring the plants in place, said fluid outlet holes being at a position of the side wall such that the culture fluid issued therethrough can flow down along the support flange to reach the corresponding plant holding apertures, said inclined side wall and said canted flange cooperating with each other to allow the plants held in the plant holding apertures to grow straight along said side wall;

a conduit extending vertically upwardly from said reservoir through the bottom wall of said basin-like body up to an uppermost cultivation bed; and

a fluid pump mounted on said reservoir for forcedly feeding the culture fluid to said uppermost cultivation bed through said conduit.

2. The hydroponic device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a top cover plate having an army of substantially evenly spaced plant holding apertures.

3. The hydroponic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said flange is physically separated from said body.

4. The hydroponic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said flange is integrally molded with said body.

5. The hydroponic device as recited in claim 3, wherein said fluid outlet holes are formed through the side wall of said basin-like body at a position immediately above said flange to thereby allow the culture fluid issued from said outlet holes to flow down along an upper surface of said flange toward the plant holding apertures.

6. The hydroponic device as recited in claim 3, wherein said fluid outlet holes are formed through the side wall of said basin-like body at a position immediately below said flange to thereby allow the culture fluid issued from said outlet holes to flow down along a lower surface of said flange toward the plant holding apertures.

7. The hydroponic device as recited in claim 1, wherein said cultivation beds are made of transit synthetic resin.