Structure of a greenhouse

• US 7,234,270 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2003
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Controlled Environments Limited
• Original Assignee: Controlled Environments Limited
• Inventors: Giercke, Ron, Zimmerman, Wayne, Schram, Steve, Brault, David, Turkewitsch, Alex, Normandin, Yvon
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner; Jeffrey L.
• Application Number:
  US10/616,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20050005528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 47/17, 47/18, 47/60, 62/91, 623/09, 454/232, 454/233, 52/63, 522/047, 52/27, 52/37
• US Class Current: 47/17
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/14 Greenhouses cloches A01G13/04
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/246 Air-conditioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/25 Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor

Abstract

A greenhouse has an exterior curtain wall structure formed by spaced tubular posts carrying external transparent panels and bottom non-transparent wall panels below a sill with the panels spanning the posts. A plurality of elongate benches is located within the interior at spaced positions along one side wall with the width of the benches being equal to the post spacing to form a modular construction. Each bench has associated with it a respective air handling system for conditioning including a duct which is located partly under the respective bench and a fan in a fan housing at the side wall. From the fan a vertical duct section extends to a flexible tube extending over the bench. An alley is arranged along the opposite wall containing electrical controls mounted in cabinets forming panels for mounting in the span between posts. Air dehumidification, fogging, heating and cooling are provided in the duct under the bench.

Claims

1. A greenhouse comprising:

an exterior wall structure which includes primarily transparent panels allowing entry to an interior of natural light;

a plurality of elongate benches located within the interior and arranged to provide support surfaces for supporting crop materials thereon for receiving the natural light and growing within the interior;

an air handling system for conditioning the air within the interior including at least one air moving fan, at least one interior air intake, at least one interior air outlet, at least one exterior vent and at least one component for changing air temperature;

the exterior wall structure including a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall with each of the first and second side walls defined by a plurality of vertical posts at spaced positions along the length of the side wall defining equal spans between each of the plurality of vertical posts and the next with transparent panels arranged to substantially fill the span between the plurality of vertical posts;

each bench having a bench support for the bench located underneath the bench;

the benches being arranged at spaced positions along the first side wall such that each bench has one end adjacent said first side wall such that the bench and the bench support therefor each extend from the first side wall at right angles thereto toward the second side wall;

each bench being associated with a respective one of the spans such that the number of spans is equal to the number of the plurality of benches and such that the bench support of each bench is located between the plurality of vertical posts of the associated respective one of the spans;

wherein the air handling system consists of a plurality of air handling systems each air handling system of the plurality of air handling systems being associated with a respective one of the benches of the plurality of benches and each air handling system of the plurality of air handling systems including a fan, at least one air intake below the respective bench of the plurality of benches and at least one air outlet above the respective bench of the plurality of benches.

2. The greenhouse according to claim 1 wherein the width of each bench of the plurality of benches is substantially equal to the width of the spans.

3. The greenhouse according to claim 1 wherein the exterior wall structure includes third and fourth side walls at right angles to said first and second side walls each of the first, second, third and fourth side walls have the same spans between the plurality of vertical posts thereof and the length of each bench from said first side wall is equal to a multiple of the spans.

4. The greenhouse according to claim 1 wherein each of the benches of the plurality of benches is located such that it has one end at said first side wall and has an opposed end spaced from said second side wall.

5. The greenhouse according to claim 1 wherein each of the spans equals six feet.

6. The greenhouse according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of vertical posts and the transparent panels therebetween form a curtain wall construction in which the transparent panels are attached at their edges to the vertical posts and fully extend across the span therebetween without intermediate support elements.

7. The greenhouse according to claim 1 wherein the exterior wall structure includes third and fourth side walls at right angles to said first and second side walls each of the first, second, third and fourth side walls have the same spans between the plurality of vertical posts thereof and wherein there is provided an alley way formed outside the second wall by an alley wall parallel to the second wall, the alley way having a width equal to the width of one span.

8. The greenhouse according to claim 1 wherein the exterior wall structure includes third and fourth side walls at right angles to said first and second side walls each of the first, second, third and fourth side walls have the same spans between the plurality of vertical posts thereof and wherein there is provided a doorway into the interior, the doorway being formed in a door panel having a width equal to the width of one span and arranged to be mounted between two of the plurality of vertical posts.

9. The greenhouse according to claim 1 wherein the exterior wall structure includes third and fourth side walls at right angles to said first and second side walls each of the first, second, third and fourth side walls have the same spans between the plurality of vertical posts thereof and wherein there is provided an electrical system for controlling the air handling system including at least one electrical cabinet containing electrical components;

the at least one electrical cabinet being formed as at least part of an integral panel having a width equal to the width of one span and arranged for location between two of the plurality of vertical posts.

10. The greenhouse according to claim 9 wherein there are provided a plurality of electrical cabinets each formed as at least part of an integral panel having a width equal to the width of one span and arranged for location between two of the plurality of vertical posts.

11. The greenhouse according to claim 9 wherein there is provided an alley way formed outside said second wall by an alley wall parallel to the second side wall, the alley way having a width equal to the width of one span and wherein the integral panel forms one panel spanning two posts of the plurality of vertical posts of the alley wall.

12. The greenhouse according to claim 9 wherein the integral panel is defined by the cabinet and wall panel portions along at least one side of the cabinet.

13. The greenhouse according to claim 9 wherein the integral panel is fastened to the two posts of the plurality of vertical posts.

14. A greenhouse comprising:

an exterior wall structure which includes primarily transparent panels allowing entry to an interior of natural light;

a plurality of elongate benches located within the interior and arranged to provide support surfaces for supporting crop materials thereon for receiving the natural light and growing within the interior;

a plurality of air handling systems equal in number to the plurality of benches such that each bench has associated therewith a respective one of the plurality of air handling systems for conditioning the air within the interior each including at least one air moving fan, at least one interior air intake, at least one interior air outlet, at least one exterior vent and at least one component for changing air temperature;

the exterior wall structure including a first side and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall with each of the first and second side walls defined by a plurality of vertical posts at spaced positions along the length of the side wall defining equal spans between each of the plurality of vertical posts and the next with transparent panels arranged to substantially fill the span between the posts;

the benches being arranged at spaced positions along the first side wall such that each bench has one end adjacent said first side wall and extends therefrom at right angles thereto toward the second side wall;

each bench of the plurality of benches being associated with a respective one of the spans between the plurality of vertical posts of said first side wall and arranged such that the number of spans is equal to the number of benches of the plurality of benches;

wherein each bench of the plurality of benches has associated therewith a respective one of the plurality of air handling systems, each of the plurality of air handling systems having said at least one air intake below the respective bench of the plurality of benches and said at least one air outlet above the respective bench of the plurality of benches.

15. A greenhouse comprising:

an exterior wall structure which includes primarily transparent panels allowing entry to an interior of natural light;

a plurality of elongate benches located within the interior and arranged to provide support surfaces for supporting crop materials thereon for receiving the natural light and growing within the interior;

the exterior wall structure including a first side and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall with each of the first and second side walls defined by a plurality of vertical posts at spaced positions along the length of the side wall defining equal spans between each of the plurality of vertical posts and the next with transparent panels arranged to substantially fill the span between the plurality of vertical posts;

the plurality of benches being arranged at spaced positions along the first side wall such that each bench has one end adjacent said first side wall and extends therefrom at right angles thereto toward the second side wall;

each bench being associated with a respective one of the spans between the plurality of vertical posts of said first side wall and arranged such that the number of spans is equal to the number of the plurality of benches;

a plurality of air handling systems equal in number to the plurality of benches such that each bench has associated therewith a respective one of the plurality of air handling systems;

each air handling system comprising;

a respective duct associated with the respective air handling system;

a respective air intake separate from the air intakes of others of the air handling systems;

a respective fan separate from the fans of others of the air handling systems connected to the air intake plenum;

a respective fan housing separate from the fan housings of the other air handling systems and containing the respective fan;

a respective interior air outlet separate from the interior air outlets of others of the air handling systems connected to the respective fan;

and at least one respective air conditioning component separate from the air conditioning components of others of the air handling systems for conditioning the air transported from the air intake plenum to the outlet duct by the fan;

each of the respective air intake plenum, the respective fan, the respective connection, the respective outlet duct and the respective air conditioning component being connected to the respective duct for communication of air therebetween through the respective duct;

wherein the fan housings of the plurality of air handling systems are arranged in a row along said first side wall of the exterior wall structure such that the number of fan housings is equal to the number of spans between the plurality of posts along said one side wall;

wherein each fan housing of the plurality of fan housings of the plurality of air handling systems is mounted in the span between a respective pair of the plurality of vertical posts;

wherein said first side wall includes a plurality of non-transparent wall panels with each of said plurality of non-transparent wall panels being arranged in the span between a respective pair of posts of the plurality of vertical posts, each of the plurality of non-transparent wall panels having a height substantially equal to the top of the respective fan housing of the plurality of fan housings;

and wherein each of the plurality of non-transparent wall panels is located at a position spaced outwardly of the outside surfaces of the plurality of vertical posts to define a channel inside the non-transparent wall panels and outside the plurality of vertical posts and wherein there is provided a sill covering the channel and located at a bottom of the plurality of transparent panels.

16. The greenhouse according to claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of fan housing projects between the plurality of vertical posts such that each side thereof lies inside a side surface of the respective post of the plurality of vertical posts.

17. A greenhouse comprising:

an exterior wall structure which includes primarily transparent panels allowing entry to an interior of natural light;

a plurality of elongate benches located within the interior and arranged to provide support surfaces for supporting crop materials thereon for receiving the natural light and growing within the interior;

an air handling system for conditioning the air within the interior including at least one air moving fan, at least one interior air intake, at least one interior air outlet, at least one exterior vent and at least one component for changing air temperature;

the exterior wall structure including a first side, a second side wall opposite to the first side wall a third side wall and a fourth side wall at right angles to the first and second side walls, with each of the side walls defined by a plurality of vertical posts at spaced positions along the length of the side wall defining equal spans between each of the plurality of vertical posts and the next with transparent panels arranged to substantially fill the span between the plurality of vertical posts;

the benches being arranged at spaced positions along the first side wall such that each bench has one end adjacent said first side wall and extends therefrom at right angles thereto toward the second side wall;

each bench being associated with a respective one of the spans between the plurality of vertical posts of said first side wall and arranged such that the number of spans is equal to the number of the plurality of benches;

wherein the air handling system for conditioning the air within the interior includes wiring and piping for supplying electrical power and air conditioning fluid for changing the air temperature;

wherein each of the side walls includes a plurality of bottom non-transparent wall panels arranged in the span between each pair of the plurality of vertical posts, each non-transparent wall panel extending to the bottom of the transparent panels and a sill at the bottom of the transparent panels extending outwardly of the plurality of vertical posts;

and wherein each of the plurality of non-transparent wall panels is located at a position spaced outwardly of outside surfaces of the plurality of vertical posts to define a channel inside the non-transparent wall panels and outside the plurality of vertical posts and below the sill for receiving said wiring and piping.

18. The greenhouse according to claim 17 wherein the transparent panels are connected to the outside surfaces of the plurality of vertical posts.