Patent ID: 7730663
Filing Date: 2010-06-08
Classification: A01G,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A rotary plant growing apparatus comprising: a support base comprising at least one motor and a nutrient reservoir for containing a nutrient liquid; and a cylindrical structure mounted on said support base and operatively connected to said motor, said cylindrical structure comprising first and second circularly shaped rims and at least one basket extending from said first circular rim to said second circular rim for housing a growing medium and plants in said growing medium, said basket comprising two basket side walls extending between first and second basket ends thereof with one of said basket side walls being a resilient side wall, each basket end having a pair of pins, one said pin of each pair extending from each basket side wall, each pin having a head flange extending radially outwardly therefrom and therearound, the pin being inset from said head flange, each rim having, for each pair of pins, a pair of respective apertures, one respective aperture for each pin, formed within and completely enclosed by a respective rim inner wall thereof and accessible only from said respective rim inner wail, said respective apertures having proximally situated first portions and smaller, distally situated second portions of smaller dimension than said head flanges, and thereby configured for blocking passage of said head flanges therethrough, each pin extending through said respective aperture with said respective aperture situated between said basket side wall and said head flange and being resiliently biased by said resilient side wall through said second portion with said head flange extending thereover and attaching said basket to said rim with said rim inner wall in snug and abutting contact on one side thereof with said head flange and on the other side thereof with the side wall and thereby limiting lateral movement of said basket between said rims and wobbling of said basket, said motor rotating said cylindrical structure about a rotational axis to at least partially immerse said basket in said nutrient liquid in said reservoir to nourish said plants, wherein each basket further comprises a basket bottom wall depending from said basket side walls and coextending therewith from said first basket side wall to said second basket side wall, said basket bottom wall facing generally outwardly away from said structure when said basket is attached to said rims, wherein each basket has at least one nutrient aperture, each nutrient aperture extending partially across said basket bottom wall and one of said basket side walls at a bottom corner defined by an intersection thereof, wherein said at least one nutrient aperture comprises first and second sets of nutrient apertures, said first set thereof extending across a first bottom corner defined by one said basket side wall and basket bottom wall, and said second set thereof extending across a second bottom corner at the respective intersection between the other said second basket side wall and said basket bottom wall, wherein said support base further comprises a removable drain tray, said drain tray being extending below said reservoir and completely underlying said cylindrical structure and said reservoir for receiving escaped liquid nutrient from said nutrient reservoir and said basket, wherein said drain tray comprises a central drain basin for holding said escaped nutrient liquid, said drain basin having generally opposed first and second basin side walls and first and second basin end walls connected thereto, said basin side walls extending in axial alignment with said basket side walls and beyond said first and second rims, wherein said first and second basin side walls each have a respective guide wall extending along a portion thereof and slanting upwardly therefrom for guiding said escaped liquid nutrient towards said drain basin, said drain basin being centrally situated between said guide walls, wherein each said guide wall is comprised of a first section and a second section, said first section extending proximally to said basin and slanting upwardly at a first angular inclination, said second section extending from said first section and distal said basin and slanting upwardly from said first section at a second angular inclination greater than said first angular inclination.