Method of Growing Plants Using a Water-Layer System

Abstract

A method of growing plants using a water-layer system, said method making use of a moveable container comprising a water-layer unit comprising a water tray, and a rectangular frame, said rectangular frame comprising two spaced apart wheel support beams, and support beams for supporting the water tray of the water-layer unit. The water-layer unit is provided with plants, and said plants are grown with access to the layer of water in the water tray. Furthermore, to grow plants more uniformly across the container, the wheel support beams have upper surface areas, and the support beams provide support areas for the water tray of the water-layer unit that in an empty first state are higher than the upper surface areas of the wheel support beams.

Claims

1. A method of growing plants using a water-layer system, said method making use of a moveable container, comprising: a water-layer unit comprising a water tray, said water tray comprising: a bottom and upright walls and capable of holding a layer of water in said moveable container; and a rectangular frame, said rectangular frame comprising: two longitudinal side beams, two transverse side beams connecting the two longitudinal side beams, two wheel support beams spaced apart from said transverse side beams, connecting said two longitudinal side beams, and each provided with wheels for moving the moveable container; a plurality of support beams for supporting the water tray of the water-layer unit, said plurality of support beams spaced apart from said transverse side beams and said wheel support beams, connecting said two longitudinal side beams, and supporting the water-layer unit; wherein the water-layer unit is provided with plants, and said plants are grown with access to the layer of water in the water tray; wherein: the wheel support beams have upper surface areas, and the support beams provide support areas for the water tray of the water-layer unit, said support areas being in an empty first state wherein the water-layer unit is absent from the moveable container higher than the upper surface areas of the wheel support beams, and being in a second use-state at most 2 mm lower than the upper surface areas of the wheel support beams, said second use-state being any moment during the growth of the plants on the moveable container; and the plants are grown with the support areas being in the second use-state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the support beams are support beams comprising a support beam body provided with a height-adjustment device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the height-adjustment device is a removable clip.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein to grow the plants, the water tray is provided with a plurality of plant-trays, each plant-tray having feet; wherein, in no particular order the openings of the plant-tray are provided with a plurality of plants, the water tray is provided with water, and the water tray is provided with the plant-trays; and the plants in the openings of the plant-trays are grown with the plant-trays being supported by the water tray with the feet of the plant-trays at the location of the support areas of the support beams.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein to grow the plants, the water tray is provided with a plurality of plant-trays, each plant-tray having feet; wherein, in no particular order the openings of the plant-tray are provided with a plurality of plants, the water tray is provided with water, and the water tray is provided with the plant-trays; and the plants in the openings of the plant-trays are grown with the plant-trays being supported by the water tray with the feet of the plant-trays at the location of the support areas of the support beams.

6. A moveable container for supporting a water-layer unit having at least a water tray, comprising: a rectangular frame, said rectangular frame comprising: two longitudinal side beams, two transverse side beams connecting the two longitudinal side beams, two wheel support beams, spaced apart from said transverse side beams, connecting said two longitudinal side beams, and each provided with wheels for moving the moveable container; a plurality of support beams for supporting the water tray of the water-layer unit, said plurality of support beams: spaced apart from said transverse side beams and said wheel support beams, and connecting said two longitudinal side beams, wherein: the wheel support beams have upper surface areas, and the support beams provide support areas for the water tray of the water-layer unit, said support areas being in an empty first state wherein the water-layer unit is absent from the moveable container higher than the upper surface areas of the wheel support beams.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The present invention will now be illustrated with reference to the drawing where

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view on a moveable container;

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view on a frame of the moveable container of FIG. 1;

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a top view on the moveable container of FIG. 1;

[0048] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B show a cross-sectional view along line Iv-Iv of FIG. 3 of the container and a corresponding exploded view; and

[0049] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B show a cross-sectional view along line V-V of FIG. 3 of the container and a corresponding exploded view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view on a moveable container 100 comprising a rectangular frame 200 (discussed with reference to FIG. 2) and water-layer unit 300 (discussed with reference to FIGS. 3-5). The water-layer unit 300 is provided with plants 190, in the embodiment shown potted plants 190.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view on the rectangular frame 200 of the moveable container 100 of FIG. 1.

[0052] The rectangular frame 200 comprises two longitudinal side beams 210 and two transverse side beams 220 connecting the two longitudinal side beams 210. In addition, the rectangular frame 200 comprises two wheel support beams 230 connecting said two longitudinal side beams 210 and are each provided with wheels 240 for moving the moveable container 100 along tracks.

[0053] The rectangular frame 200 also comprises support beams 250 for supporting the water-layer unit 300.

[0054] A rectangular frame as described above is known in the art.

[0055] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support beams 250 are profiles (support beam bodies) provided with clips 251, so as to allow the water-layer unit 300 to rest on said clips 251. Thus, sagging of the water-layer unit 300 under the load it carries in use (plants and water used for watering said plants etc.) is least partially compensated for.

[0056] In accordance with the present invention, in use the top sides of the wheel support beams 230 are lower than the top sides of the clips 251 of the support beams 250 for the water-layer unit 300.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows a top view on the moveable container 100 of FIG. 1. The wheel support beams 230 and the support beams for the water-layer unit 300 have been indicated with broken lines.

[0058] The water-layer unit 300 comprises plant-trays 310 (here 12) as will be shown in more detail below. In the embodiment shown here, the potted plants 190 are placed on top of the plant-trays 310. In other embodiments the plant-trays 310 may have openings for partially receiving the (taped) pot of the potted plant 190.

[0059] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B show a cross-sectional view along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 of the container 100 and a corresponding exploded view. The water-layer unit 300 comprises a water tray 400 having a bottom 401 and upright walls 402.

[0060] The plant-trays 310 have feet 410 and these rest via the bottom 401 of the water tray 400 on the clips 251 so as to compensate for sagging of the support beams 250.

[0061] In the embodiment shown here, the bottom 401 comprises ribs extending in the longitudinal direction to reinforce the bottom 401 and reduce sagging halfway the length of the water tray 400.

[0062] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B show a cross-sectional view along line V-V of FIG. 3 of the container and a corresponding exploded view.

[0063] In an unloaded state, the top sides of the wheel support beams 230 are lower than the top sides of the clips 251 of the support beams 250 for the water-layer unit 300.

[0064] The present invention relates to a method of growing plants using a water-layer system, said method making use of a moveable container comprising [0065] a water-layer unit comprising a water tray, said water tray [0066] comprising a bottom and upright walls and [0067] capable of holding a layer of water in said moveable container; and [0068] a rectangular frame, said rectangular frame comprising [0069] two longitudinal side beams, [0070] two transverse side beams connecting the two longitudinal side beams, [0071] two wheel support beams [0072] spaced apart from said transverse side beams, [0073] connecting said two longitudinal side beams, and [0074] each provided with wheels for moving the moveable container; [0075] a plurality of support beams for supporting the water tray of the water-layer unit, said plurality of support beams [0076] spaced apart from said transverse side beams and said wheel support beams, [0077] connecting said two longitudinal side beams, and [0078] supporting the water-layer unit; [0079] wherein the water-layer unit is provided with plants, and said plants are grown with access to the layer of water in the water tray.

[0080] A method of growing plants in a confined space, such as a greenhouse, is known in the art. The confined space involves a substantial investment, and it is desirable to optimize the use of surface area in the confined space effectively so as to increase the yield of plants, which may be of any type (ornamental, herbs, vegetables, plants bearing seeds or fruits of any kind). As walking space between containers would reduce the surface area for growing plants, it is known to put the plants in moveable containers and place the containers adjacent to each other in an array. To save on labour cost, it is known to use a grid of tracks for moving the containers along the tracks to a desired location. To grow the plants, the containers provided with plants are stored in an array where the plants are provided with light and water (containing nutrients).