Patent ID: 6035578
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: A01G,Y02P

Abstract:
An efficient edible-sprouts culturing structure with all-stage sprouts culturing units and water-saving feeding/draining system enabling water regulation and automatic recycling water balance in said sprouts culturing units, comprising:at least one sprouts culturing box suitable for superposing on one another, each said sprouts culturing box including a body defined by four side walls and a bottom, an exterior hose connecting head formed on one of said side walls, top flanges outward extending from top edges of said side walls, locating pins upwardly projecting from said bottom of said box body, and bottom flanges downwardly projecting from said bottom of said box body;at least one pressure-adjustable air/water permeable pressure cover member, each said pressure cover member including a plurality of integrally formed crossed reinforcing ribs and four side walls which together define a plurality of small open compartments on said pressure cover member for air and water to flow therethrough, upper hooks being formed on one pair of two opposite side walls for each receiving one end of an elastic ring band, and fixing seats being formed on said side walls at positions corresponding to said locating pins of said sprouts culturing box;at least one bean/seed support member, each said support member including a plurality of integrally formed crossed ribs and four side walls which together define a plurality of small compartments corresponding to said small open compartments of said pressure cover member, said small compartments of said support member having a bean/seed bedding bottom formed from a porous screen, lower hooks being formed on one pair of two opposite side walls of said support member corresponding to said upper hooks of said pressure cover member for each receiving another end of said elastic ring band, and open locating holes being formed on said side walls corresponding to said fixing seats on said pressure cover member;a growth frame defined by four side walls and having top flanges horizontally and outward extending from top edges of said side walls for overlaying on said top flanges of said culturing box, and bottom flanges horizontally and inward extending from bottom edges of said side walls for supporting said pressure cover member and said bean/seed support member in said growth frame;a binding means for attaching said pressure cover member to said support member;a horizontal platform on which said sprouts culturing boxes are superposed on one another and closely arranged in multiple rows, said platform being preferably raised from a ground surface for a predetermined distance;a plurality of quick coupling hoses, each said quick coupling hose being connected at one end to one of said exterior hose connecting heads on said sprouts culturing boxes;at least one box cover for covering one said sprouts culturing box that is located at a top of said multiple superposed sprouts culturing boxes, said box cover being provided at two opposite ends with two handles; anda water feeding/draining system provided near one side of said superposed sprouts culturing boxes having said exterior hose connecting heads, said water feeding/draining system being controlled by a programmable electronic controller to supply and drain water to and from said sprouts culturing boxes at predetermined intervals and to timely regulate and balance water level in said sprouts culturing boxes.