Abstract:
A waterproof sheet is provided with fold lines to fold the sheet into a chamber for aeroponic and hydroponic culture. Additional waterproof sheets are provided with suitable fold lines for folding into stands for supporting the chamber in operative position. The sheets can be shipped in flat condition considerably decreasing the shipping expenses compared to voluminous prefabricated chambers and stands. The weight and the cost are also considerably diminished.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to chambers used for cultivating plants in aeroponic and hydroponic conditions. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Studies have shown that plants the roots of which are exposed in aeroponic atmosphere give better results than plants the roots of which are immersed in a hydroponic environment. Known chambers used for cultivating plants in aeroponic conditions consist of heavy elongated boxes with parallel side walls, a V-shaped bottom wall and a cover perforated for plant insertion so that their roots are exposed within the box to be continuously sprayed by water jets in which suitable fertilizers and nutrients are dissolved. The water is discharged from the bottom of the chamber at one end and recirculated by a pump. The chambers should have an optimal depth of about fourteen inches for the majority of plants species. However, since these chambers are pretty bulky and heavy, the cost of manufacturing and shipping is too high, that is why chambers having a depth of only six inches are presently available on the market. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     The general object of the present invention is to provide a chamber for aeroponic culture which obviates the above noted disadvantages. 
     A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a chamber of the character described which is made from a flat waterproof sheet with suitable fold lines so that the sheet can be folded into a chamber when necessary. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide stands for the chambers also made of foldable waterproof flat sheets. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a chamber which can be made with an optimal depth and yet be made at a reasonable cost. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A chamber for aeroponic culture is formed of a single elongated moisture proof flat sheet capable of being folded for use and unfolded for storage with said sheet having spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending fold lines defining, when said sheet is folded in the same direction about said fold lines, two parallel side walls of the same width, a bottom portion composed of downwardly converging bottom walls joined along a ridge, a top cover depending from one side wall and a closure flap depending from the outer edge of said cover and adapted to overlap and be secured to the other side wall, said cover having spaced pre-cut openings for plant insertion with their roots exposed inside said chamber, said sheet further defining two pairs of end flaps depending from the respective ends of both side walls by fold lines normal to said first named fold lines, each end flap having a generally triangular extension directed towards the triangular extension of the other end flap of the pair, each pair of end flaps foldable in overlapping position to close the ends of said chamber. 
     Preferably, said cover further has pre-cut small holes for water inlet tubing insertion, said tubing carrying water to be sprayed onto said roots of said plants. 
     Preferably, there are two closely spaced fold lines forming the ridge of said downwardly converging bottom walls to define a flat bottom ridge therebetween. 
     Preferably, the apex portion of each of said triangular extensions of one pair of end flaps is cut out to form a water outlet. 
     Preferably, the chamber stands for supporting said chamber when erected, are each formed of a single, second sheet with first and second spaced, parallel, fold lines defining the longer sides of a central panel of rectangular shape, said panel having parallel free edges defining its shorter sides, said central panel having a third fold line transverse to said first and second fold lines and midway of said free edges of said central panel, the latter having a centered opening divided in two mirror image sections by said third fold line, each section of a shape to fit around said downwardly converging bottom walls and around said side walls when said central panel is folded in two portions about said third fold line to form an inverted V-shape stand, said second sheet further including a pair of flaps depending from each side of said central panel about said first and second fold lines on opposite sides of said third fold line and foldable and securable in overlapping position to position said two portions in said inverted V-shape. 
     Preferably, one stand has a smaller size than the size of the other stand so as to support the end of said chamber having said water outlet at a lower level than the other end of said chamber. 
     Alternatively, a plurality of chambers include chamber stands for supporting said chambers when erected and placed adjacent to each other, each chamber stand formed of a single second sheet with first and second spaced parallel score lines defining the shorter sides of a panel of rectangular shape, said central panel having parallel free edges defining its longer sides, said central panel having a third fold line transverse to said first and second fold lines and midway of said free edges of said central panel, the latter having a plurality of adjacent centered openings each divided in two mirror image sections by said third fold line, each section of a shape to fit around said downwardly converging bottom walls and around said side walls when said central panel is folded in two portions about said third fold line to form an inverted V-shape stand, said sheet further including a pair of flaps depending from each side of said central panel about said first and second fold lines on opposite sides of said third fold line and foldable and securable in overlapping position to position said two portions in inverted said V-shape. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the annexed drawings, like reference characters indicate like elements throughout. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of several chambers in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention in operative position for aeroponic plant cultivation; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one chamber; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of a plastic flat sheet shaped and pre-stamped with fold lines to form the chamber of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the chamber of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the stands; 
     FIG. 6 is a view of the flat sheet pre-cut and pre-stamped with fold lines to form the stand of FIG. 5 when folded; and 
     FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing a second embodiment of a flat sheet pre-cut and pre-stamped with fold lines to form a stand for simultaneously supporting four adjacent chambers when folded. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, there are shown four chambers  22  disposed side by side and each supported by a lower stand  24  and a higher stand  24   a  so that the chambers are slightly inclined towards one end which is provided with a water outlet  26 . 
     These water outlets are disposed above a reservoir  28  common to the four chambers and provided at one end with a recirculating pump  30  for recirculating the water through a water tubing network  32  which enters the top chamber cover through small holes  34  to supply tubing nozzles connected thereto and disposed inside the chambers for spraying water onto the roots of plants inserted through cover openings  36 . 
     In accordance with the invention, each chamber  22  is made of a waterproof flat sheet  38  preferably made of a thermoplastic namely a corrugated plastic sheet such as sold under the registered Trade Mark COROPLAST. This sheet is pre-cut to the desired shape and size and pre-stamped with suitably spaced fold lines. 
     More particularly, the sheet is of generally rectangular shape and is provided with six longitudinally extending, spaced, parallel fold lines  40 , two of which are indicated at  40   a . The fold lines  40  form side walls  42  of equal width, downwardly converging bottom walls  44  also of equal width, the walls  44  being joined to a flat ridge portion  46  by two closely spaced fold lines  40   a . Therefore, the ridge  46  is flat. 
     Fold lines  40  further form a cover  48  with at its free end a closure flap  50 , the cover depending from the top of one side wall and the closure flap  50  adapted to overlap and be secured to the top portion of the other side wall. Therefore, when the sheet is folded in the same direction, the cross-sectional shape of the chamber is obtained as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     The plant insertion openings  36  and the smaller holes  34  for receiving the tubing  32  are made in the cover  48 . 
     Pairs of end flaps  52  and  54  are respectively connected to the higher end and the lower end of the chamber  22  by fold lines  56  which are normal to the longitudinal  40  and  40   a . Each end flap  52 ,  54  has a free edge  58  which is parallel to the fold lines  56 . Each end flap has a triangular extension  60  with converging side edges  62 , these triangular extensions extend towards each other for a given pair of end flaps  52  or  54 . The apex edge  64  of end flaps  52  fit the flat ridge  46  of the chamber when the end flaps  52  are folded in overlapping position so that these end flaps  52  completely close the higher end of chamber  22 . On the other hand, the apex edges  66  of end flaps  54  are cut-out to form the water outlet  26  when the end flaps  54  are folded in overlapping position. Otherwise, the end flaps  52  and  54  are of a shape to close the respective ends of the chamber  22 . 
     Once the sheet  38  has been folded to form the chamber  22 , the end flaps  52 ,  54  and the closure flap  50  may be adhered to in closed position by any fastener means, preferably a fastener means which is releasable, for instance a releasable pressure adhesive, so that the chamber can be unfolded in flat condition whenever required for minimum storage space. 
     Each stand  24  is also made of a flat sheet  68  which is pre-cut to the required shape and size and pre-stamped with suitable fold lines. 
     Sheet  68  defines a rectangular central panel  70  which is outlined by parallel longitudinal fold lines  72  and by free edges  74 . A transverse fold line  76  extends midway of the central panel  70 . This panel furthermore has a centered opening  78  which is divided in two mirror image sections  80  by the transverse fold line  76 . 
     Triangular side flaps  84  and  86  depend from each side of the central panel  70  along the fold lines  72 . Each triangular side flap  84  is provided at its outer inclined edge with tongues  88  and at its inner edge with slits  90  are made along the fold line  72 . These slits  90  are designed to receive the tongues  88  when the flaps  84  are folded in overlapping position. These flaps have a bottom edge  92  which is inclined with respect to the free edges  74  of the central panel  70 . 
     Sheet  68  is folded about the transverse fold line  76  to form a stand of inverted V-shape with the mirror image sections  80  opening upwardly and shaped to snugly receive the bottom walls  44 , the flat ridge  46  and at least a portion of the side walls  42  of the erected chamber  22 . The triangular side flaps  84  are folded in overlapping position and locked in this position by the tongues  88  inserted within the slits  90 . The bottom edges  92  of the flaps  84  rest squarely on the stand supporting surface. 
     Each chamber  22  is supported by two stands  24  and  24   a , stand  24   a  being of a size and shape to support the higher end of the chamber  22  so that the water flowing along the bottom of the chamber  22  will discharge at the water outlet  26 . 
     Alternatively, each stand  24  and  24   a  are adapted to simultaneously support a plurality, preferably four, of chambers  22  placed adjacent to each other, as shown in FIG.  7 . Referring to FIG. 7, this stand  24   b  is similar to stand  24  but has four adjacent openings  78 , along the direction of the free edges  74   a , which are divided in two mirror image sections  80  by the transverse fold lines  76  at the extremities of the center line and fold lines  76   a  inbetween two adjacent openings  78  also along the same center line.