Vegetation drying tray and rack system

A vegetation tray includes a base. The base is formed from a thin wall having a plurality of spaced peaks and valleys. A plurality of apertures are in the base. The apertures enables passage of air for drying vegetation on the tray. A boundary wall extending from the base.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a vegetation drying tray and rack system.

BACKGROUND

Known vegetation drying apparatus include planar sheet pans having perforations in the flat (i.e., horizontally planar) bottom surface of the pan. While the perforations enable air flow through the bottom of the pan, such apparatus result in a not insignificant amount of contact between the surface of the pan (e.g., the flat bottom surface) and the vegetation to be dried.FIG. 2Aschematically illustrates this issue.

The undesirable result is that there is an increased opportunity for portion(s) of the vegetation to be dried to be inhibited from direct contact with the air and/or flow of air cross its surface. As such, the time required for the sufficient or desired amount of moisture to be removed from the vegetation (i.e., the drying time) is not optimal. Further, such a condition presents a risk of contamination of the vegetation due to the development of mold, mildew or other microorganism(s) and/or infestation of pests in, on or around the vegetation.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a vegetation drying tray and rack system which improves the process for drying various forms of vegetation. The vegetation drying tray and rack system can improve drying performance by reducing the drying time needed for the vegetation to be thoroughly dried and by reducing the risk of contamination of the vegetation originating or spreading during the drying process.

The vegetation drying tray and rack system increases ventilation and air flow in and around the vegetation to be dried while simultaneously reducing and/or minimizing the physical contact between surfaces of the drying tray and the vegetation to be dried.

The vegetation drying tray and rack system can incorporate an identification feature in the form of an identifier plaque or plate that can serve as a visual indicator to users of the system. For example, the plaque can communicate to and/or assist users to quickly identify a status of the vegetation, a vegetation drying tray and/or the rack system without input from the user. Such status or conditions can include whether the vegetation drying tray(s) has been rotated or inverted; the drying state of the vegetation in the system like in process, complete, partially-rotated, or fully-rotated. In this regard, the plaques can enable a quick identification through one or more visual indicator(s) or cue(s) including color, orientation, physical configuration and/or other identifier(s) corresponding to or indicating one or more states or conditions. The plaques/plates can change state when the drying trays are manipulated (such as rotated or inverted) during the vegetation drying operation.

The plaques or plates can be removably joined or attached to the drying trays. For example, the drying trays can include one or more receptacles at locations around the perimeter of the drying tray and include vertical slots or openings in the receptacles. The receptacles can be integrated with or form a portion of the upper lip or rim of one or more side walls of the drying trays. For example, a slot can be included in the receptacle through an upper surface of the rim. The slot can accommodate insertion of a plaque such that one portion of the plaque is received in the slot and another portion of the plaque extends out of the slot and above the surface of the rim of the side wall. In addition, the receptacle can include an opposing slot at a lower end or underside of the receptacle.

Further, the plaques or plates can facilitate the vertical stacking or connecting of drying trays in the same orientation or in an inverted orientation. The plaques can stay in the drying trays when not in use and help prevent trays from toppling over while they are in storage.

The vegetation drying tray and rack system is conducive to and enables the vegetation to be readily inspected throughout the drying process.

The vegetation drying tray and rack system can incorporate and provide access controls which limit unauthorized personnel from gaining access to or coming into contact with the vegetation during the drying process or provide other security measures. For example, physical and/or electronic barriers, locking device(s), alarm(s) and the like can be implemented vegetation drying tray and rack system.

The vegetation drying tray of the present disclosure can be manufactured from plastic as an alternative to stainless steel or aluminum from which known drying trays are made. Moreover, the vegetation drying tray of the present disclosure can include or incorporate an anti-microbial additive and/or coating (such as Microban™) for aiding in reducing a potential for the occurrence and/or spread of contaminants in and around the drying try and vegetation, such as molds or funguses.

The vegetation drying tray can be retrofit and/or used with other existing rack systems.

According to one aspect of the disclosure, a vegetation tray comprises a base formed from a thin wall. The base has a plurality of spaced peaks and valleys. A plurality of apertures are formed in the base. The apertures enable passage of air to drying vegetation on the tray. A boundary wall extends from the base. The boundary wall includes one or more apertures. An indexing member, including a projection or recess, extends from the boundary wall. The indexing member mate with respective tray indexing members to enable stacking and inversion of the trays. The peaks and valleys are spaced from one another with a distance between peak axes from ¼ to 3 inches. An identification feature communicates the status of the tray to the user. The identification feature comprises a plate including one or more visual indications including at least one of color orientation or physical configuration indicating the status. A receptacle on the boundary wall receives the identification feature communicating status of the tray. A plurality of trays are stackable one on top of the other with adjacent trays nesting with one another. The trays may further include an anti-fungal additive. A tray verification member is on the boundary wall. The verification member may include indicia for providing the status of the vegetation in the tray. The indicia may include symbols, writings, color, cutouts, plaques or the like. The boundary wall includes one more triangular channels. Each channel includes opposing sidewalls and a web connecting the sidewalls. The web includes an aperture.

According to a second aspect of the disclosure, a vegetation drying rack system comprises a frame. The frame has one or more tray receiving receptacles on the frame. The frame includes one or more trays. The tray has a thin wall base. The base has a plurality of spaced peaks and valleys. A plurality of apertures are formed in the base. The apertures enable passage of air to dry vegetation on the tray. A boundary wall extends from the base. The boundary wall includes one or more apertures. An indexing member, including a projection or recess, extends from the boundary wall. The indexing member mate with respective tray indexing members to enable stacking and inversion of the trays. The peaks and valleys are spaced from one another with a distance between peak axes from ¼ to 3 inches. An identification feature communicates the status of the tray to the user. The identification feature comprises a plate including one or more visual indications including at least one of color orientation or physical configuration indicating the status. A receptacle on the boundary wall receives the identification feature communicating status of the tray. A plurality of trays are stackable one on top of the other with adjacent trays with one another. The trays may further include an anti-fungal additive. A tray verification member is on the boundary wall. The verification member may include indicia for providing the status of the vegetation in the tray. The indicia may include symbols, writings, color, cutouts, plaques or the like. The boundary wall includes one more triangular channels. Each channel includes opposing sidewalls and a web connecting the sidewalls. The web includes an aperture.

A further aspect of the disclosure, a vegetation tray comprises a base formed from a thin wall. The base has a configuration devoid of flat sections. The boundary wall includes one or more apertures. The base provides line or point contact with the vegetation on the base. The base includes a plurality of peaks and valleys.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 12illustrates a prior art tray. Here, the base is flat (i.e., horizontal) or planar and includes perforations. Thus, the vegetation is subjected to be positioned on the flat surface entirely in contact with a planar surface of the base. Also, the airflow, at best, at the vegetation is on its top surface and below the surface of the tray base.

Turning to the figures, a vegetation tray is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral20. The tray includes a base22and a boundary wall24with a projecting lip26. The trays20are dimensioned to fit into conventional racks30. The racks30include a frame32as well as tray support or guides34. Thus, the trays20nest in a receptacle and can be slid in and out of the rack30. The rack30may also have wheels36enabling movement of the rack30in the drying facility.

The base22is defined from a thin wall28. The wall28has a configuration with one or more peaks40and valleys42within the boundary wall24. Additionally, the thin wall28includes a plurality of apertures44. The peaks40and valleys42may be in a random or continuous pattern across the base22. The peaks40and valleys42provide a line or point contact with the vegetation25. The wall configuration eliminates the entire planar contact of the vegetation with the planar surface as illustrated in the prior art.

The apexes46of the peaks40are generally positioned at a desired distance with respect to one another. The distance is generally between ¼ to 3 inches inches. Preferably, a spacing of ¼ to 2 inches is preferred. The peak40and valley42configuration enables airflow to flow under the peaks40and valleys42as well as on top of the peaks40and valleys42. Additionally, airflow is created between the peaks40and valleys42inside the tray underneath the vegetation as illustrated inFIG. 7. Thus, the peak40and valley42configuration creates more airflow than the prior art trays.

The boundary wall24surrounds the base22. The boundary wall24includes one or more channels48formed in the wall. The channels, having a triangular configuration, are defined by opposing sidewalls50,52and web54. The web54connects the sidewalls50,52with one another. An aperture56is formed in the web54. The aperture56enables air to pass through the boundary wall24. Thus, airflow can enter the tray20via the boundary wall24, base22or in the opening between the boundary wall24. The channel configuration provides for single direction molding of the tray20. This eliminates the need for two directional molding. Thus, the tray is able to be formed on a single direction two-piece mold.

The lip26projects from the boundary wall24. The lip26provides a surface substantially perpendicular to the boundary wall24. This enables various features to be added to the tray20. The lip26includes a recess60and a projection62. The recess60and projection62act as an indexing mechanism to enable the trays to be stacked and inverted with one another. The recess60and projection62enable trays20to be positioned one on top of the other. The lips are positioned. When stacked (FIG. 8), the projections62insert into the hollow void of the adjacent projection62one on top of the other. When inverted, the projection62extends into the recess60, as seen inFIG. 9A-9C, to enable the rotation and inversion of the vegetation25within the tray20. The recesses60are positioned at diagonal corners on the tray20. Likewise, the projections62are positioned in the opposite diagonal corners of the tray20. The inverting of the tray will be discussed later.

The lip26includes a receptacle64to receive a plaque66. The plaque66that can be positioned within the receptacle64to determine the phase of the drying process of the vegetation25. The receptacle64is a slot formed in the lip26. The receptacle64is generally rectangular having an outer wall68and sidewalls70. The plaque66is sized so that it is maintained within the receptacle64. However, upon flipping or rotating of the tray20, via gravity, the plaque66falls from one tray receptacle64to the other depending upon which tray is under or on the bottom of the other. Thus, the plaque66could be color coded or have different type of indicia to indicate to the user, the drying phase of the vegetation.

The outer wall68provides a generally planar surface72. This planar surface72can be utilized to receive a bar code sticker75or the like indicia to provide verification of the vegetation25within the tray20. Some jurisdictions require that the vegetation25in the tray22be accounted for from seed to sale. Thus, the vegetation25must be verified or tracked from point to point to point along the growing and processing stages until the vegetation is sold. Accordingly, the outer wall68surface72can receive various labels to verify or identify the vegetation25.

The tray20is generally formed from plastic during an injection molding process. As explained above, the boundary wall24enables a single direction mold be utilized to form the tray20. Thus, the tray20is a one piece design. The tray20could be formed with an antimicrobial additive such as Microban. This provides for reducing spreading of any fungus or the like that might be on the vegetation placed within the tray20. Also, while the peaks and valleys shown are of a sinusoidal configuration in cross-section.FIGS. 11A-11Eillustrate various configurations. A step wave type of configuration could be utilized. Additionally tetrahydron configuration could be used to provide the peaks and valleys. Thus, any configuration that provides peak and valley and eliminate entire flat (i.e., horizontally planar) sections on the base could be utilized for the wall of the tray20.

Trays20are illustrated positioned on shelves or guides34in a rack30. As can be seen, the plaques66all identified the same drying status of the vegetation. Thus, as illustrated, a darker color is illustrated inFIGS. 5-10A. InFIG. 10B, a partial number of all the trays have been inverted and the rack30includes half dark colored plaques66and half-light colored plaques66.FIG. 10Cillustrates the complete inversion or rotation of all of the trays such that the plaques66are all of a light color. Thus, the use of the tray20and rack30system will always identify the drying status of the degradation in the particular trays.

In order to rotate, invert or flip the trays20, the tray including the vegetation25would be removed from the rack30. A second tray20illustrated inFIG. 9Bwould be invertly positioned on top of the first tray20so the lip indexing mechanism would have the recesses60filled with the projections62. This enables the user to rapidly rotate, invert or flip the vegetation within the trays20. After rotation, inversion or flipping, the once bottom tray, now top tray, would be removed. This tray would be processed for cleaning or the like. The new tray20with vegetation can be positioned back into the rack30so that its new drying status of the vegetation is known. Thus, the tray20enables for rapid turning and manipulation of the vegetation within the tray to enhance drying. Thus, the drying time of the vegetation can be reduced and more thorough drying can take place in the trays.

Also, in addition to the plaque66, the trays themselves could be of different colors. Thus, a green tray could indicate a first state of drying and a red tray could indicate a second state of drying. Also, symbols, writings, cutouts could be utilized to designate the status of the drying of the vegetation within the tray.