Patent ID: 6502350
Filing Date: 2003-01-07
Classification: A01G,Y02P

Abstract:
An apparatus or installation for the hydroponic cultivation of plants, the apparatus or installation including:a plurality of horizontally spaced plant support structures, each extending upwardly from a lower extremity thereof to an upper extremity thereof, each of which support structures includes a plurality of plant rooting compartments containing plant rooting medium for rooting at least one plant in each compartment with the foliage of the plant outside the compartment, the compartments of each structure being arranged in a series extending between the lower extremity and the upper extremity spaced above the lower extremity over the height of the structure and each rooting compartment having a wall provided with at least one opening for permitting foliage of a plant rooted in the rooting medium in the compartment to protrude from the compartment, the structure further including a hollow water drainage manifold in the form of a conduit having a wall defining a hollow interior of a manifold, the manifold being connected to the series of compartments with its interior in communication with the interior of each compartment, there being a separate connection for each compartment, for draining water from the compartments, the plant support structure being in the form of an elongated column, the spaced extremities being at opposite ends of the column, the column including a sleeve of flexible material containing plant rooting medium, and the sleeve being divided by a plurality of constrictions spaced along the length of the column into the rooting compartments, the drainage manifold extending along the interiors of the rooting compartments from one extremity of the series to the other, the manifold having a plurality of protrusions standing proud of its outer surface and spaced along its length, each protrusion being associated with one of the constrictions, each constriction being supported by the associated protrusion, the sleeve being of water-impervious material and each constriction being provided by a tie under tension and extending around the associated sleeve; a water feed network in flow connection with and fed by a water supply, and including a plurality of water flow conduits leading from the supply to the rooting compartments for conducting water from the supply to each of the rooting compartments; a water drainage network including a plurality of water drainage conduits in flow connection with and leading away from the rooting compartments, for conducting water away from the rooting compartments; and water circulation means for circulating water from the supply in succession through the feed network, then through the rooting compartments of the support structures, and then through the drainage network, the water flow conduits of the water feed network including a plurality of water feed manifolds, one for each plant support structure, each water feed manifold extending along the series of rooting compartments of the associated plant support structure, a plurality of irrigation connections, one for each rooting compartment, respectively placing the interior of the water feed manifold in flow communication with the interiors of the rooting compartments.