Abstract:
An indoor plant growing system and a method of using the same. The system includes a base defining an interior compartment, a mast extending upwardly from the base, a first arm extending outwardly from the mast, a cable hanging downwardly from the first arm, one or more pots engaged on the cable, and a water delivery system connecting a water supply and the uppermost pot. The water supply preferably is a reservoir disposed inside the base&#39;s compartment. A pump pushes water from the reservoir, through pipes and thereby delivers the same to the uppermost pot. Water drains from the uppermost pot through a hose to a pot disposed there below and so on down the group of pots. In each pot the plant is retained in a plant basket which is suspended within a shell in such a way the plant&#39;s roots are retained within water accumulated within the pot.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to gardening. More particularly, this invention relates to a system for growing plants. Specifically, this invention is directed to a hydroponic growing system including a plurality of pots suspended one above the other on cables hanging downwardly from a frame; and including water and light delivery systems to speed the growth of the plants. 
         [0003]    2. Background Information 
         [0004]    Apartment dwellers and home owners in relatively harsh climates may have considerable issues when trying to grow plants, especially vegetables. There may be insufficient suitable outdoor space to grow plants or there may be too short a growing season to allow vegetables to grow and ripen. 
         [0005]    There is therefore a need for a simplified, easy to use indoor growing system which is able to be used year round in relatively confined spaces. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    An indoor plant growing system and a method of using the same. The system includes a base defining an interior compartment, a mast extending upwardly from the base, a first arm extending outwardly from the mast, a cable hanging downwardly from the first arm, one or more pots engaged on the cable, and a water delivery system connecting a water supply and the uppermost pot. The water supply preferably is a reservoir disposed inside the base&#39;s compartment. A pump pushes water from the reservoir, through pipes and thereby delivers the same to the uppermost pot. Water drains from the uppermost pot through a hose to a pot disposed there below and so on down the group of pots. In each pot the plant is retained in a plant basket which is suspended within a shell in such a way the plant&#39;s roots are retained within water accumulated within the pot. 
         [0007]    The growing system is a self-contained, indoor hydroponic plant growing system. While the system may be utilized for growing small herbs or flowers, it is primarily designed for growing vegetables indoors. The system is approximate 7′6″ tall and can accommodate between twenty and twenty-four large plants at any time. This type of system could, conceivably, keep an apartment-sized family in fresh vegetables year round. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which Applicant contemplates applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front plan view of the hydroponic gardening system; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the gardening system; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is the side view of the gardening system with a door opened at the base; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the gardening system; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a single hanging pot used in the gardening system; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the single hanging pot of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of the hanging pot taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is an exploded side view of the hanging pot; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of the hanging pot. 
       
    
    
       [0019]    Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-10 , there is shown a hydroponic growing system, generally indicated at  10 . Growing system  10  includes a base  12 , a mast  14  extending upwardly and outwardly from base  12 , and at least one arm  16  extending outwardly from a top end  14   a  of mast  14 . Preferably, four arms  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  ( FIG. 4 ) extend outwardly from top end  14   a.    FIG. 4  shows that arms  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  are spaced substantially equidistantly from each other. 
         [0021]    At least one and preferably two cables are secured to each arm  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  and hang downwardly therefrom toward a surface upon which base  12  rests. At least one and preferably a plurality of pots  28  is secured to cables  24 ,  26 . Each of the pots  28  is used to grow a plant  30  therein 
         [0022]    A water delivery system  32  is provided to deliver water to pots  28 . Additionally, growing system  10  preferably is provided with a light delivery system  34  for illuminating plants  30  growing in pots  28 . Both of these systems  32 ,  34  will be further described herein. 
         [0023]    Referring still to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , base  12  includes a top wall  12   a,  bottom wall  12   b  and side walls  12   c.  Strengthening ribs  12   d  are disposed between adjacent side walls  12   d,  One of side walls  12   c  is divided into an upper and a lower section which are connected to each other by way of a hinge  12   e.  The upper section  12   f  is pivotable about hinge  12   e  as best seen in  FIG. 3 . Top wall  12   a,  bottom wall  12   b  and side walls  12   c  bound and define an interior compartment  36  ( FIG. 3 ) which may be accessed when upper section  12   f  is pivoted into an open position. Upper section  12   f  thus comprises an access door in base  12 . A plurality of feet  38  extend outwardly from bottom wall  12   b.  Feet  38  preferably are of the type which is adjustable, so as to enable growing system  10  to be leveled on a floor surface upon which base  12  stands. 
         [0024]    As best seen in  FIG. 5 , mast  14  extends outwardly from top wall  12   a  of base  12 . Mast  14  has a top end  14   a  and a bottom end  14   b  and preferably separates into upper and lower sections for shipping. Upper and lower sections are connected together in the central region  14   c  ( FIG. 1 ). Bottom end  14   b  is fixedly secured within an aperture in top wall  12   a  of base. Both base  12  and mast  14  preferably are fabricated from a strong, rigid material. Suitable materials may include metal or a strong, rigid plastic. If base  12  and mast  14  are fabricated from metal, the two components may be welded together or secured by bolts or some other type of fastener. If the base  12  and mast  14  are fabricated from plastic, the components may be secured by suitable fasteners or by being complementary in configuration and being slotted together. 
         [0025]    Growing system  10  includes a manifold of four arms  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  radiating outwardly from top end  14   a  of mast  14 . Arms  16 - 22  preferably are fabricated as a unitary component that includes a stem  40  which engages a top end  14   a  of mast  14 . Stem  40  may be secured to top end  14   a  by suitable means. It is important that when base  12 , mast  14  and arms  16 - 22  are assembled and the cables and pots are suspended therefrom, then entire growing system  10  is strong and stable as there will be a need for constantly tending and working with plants  30  retained therein. Preferably, the frame (i.e., base  12 , mast  14 , and arms  16 - 22 ) breaks down into the three separate components for the purpose of shipping growing system  10 . 
         [0026]    Cables  24 ,  26  are engaged with arms  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 . Preferably, cables  24 ,  26  are fabricated from a strong, rust-resistant material, such as stainless steel. Cables  24 ,  26  extend outwardly and downwardly from proximate the free ends  16   a,    18   a,    20   a,    22   a  of the respective arms  16 - 22 . Cables  24 ,  26  may be two individual members which are separately and independently engaged with the respective free end of one of the arms. Alternatively, a single cable may be engaged with each arm and two lengths of that single cable will hang downwardly from the arm as cable sections  24 ,  26 . It will be understood that a single cable strand i.e.  24  or  26  could be used to suspend pots  28  therefrom if the single strand is placed in an appropriate location to balance the pots. Alternatively, more than two cables may be utilized for this purpose. Ideally, however, cables  24 ,  26  are disposed opposite each other and spaced apart so that pots  28  suspended therefrom are balanced and will not tend to tip over. 
         [0027]    Pots  28  are shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 6-10 . As best seen in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , each pot  28  comprises a shell  42 , a plant basket  44 , and a root screen  46 . Shell  42  includes a peripheral wall  42   a  and a bottom wall  42   b  which bound and define a chamber  48 . Peripheral wall  42   a  is generally cylindrical with the exception of a pair of opposing tubular bosses  50 ,  52  which are disposed vertically adjacent peripheral wall and extending generally from top edge  42   c  and toward bottom wall  42   b.  Each boss  50 ,  52  defines a channel  50   a,    50   b  respectively ( FIG. 8 ) and through which one of cables  24 ,  26  is received. Thus, as is illustrated in  FIG. 8 , cable  24  is received through channel  50   a  of boss  50  and cable  26  is received through channel  52   a  of boss  52 . The channels  50   a,    50   b  are substantially parallel to each other so that cables  24 ,  26  are retained generally parallel to each other, even though the peripheral wall  42   a  of shell  42  tapers from top edge  42   c  toward bottom wall  42   b.  This configuration aids in ensuring that pot  28  is unable to tip or invert even when subjected to the weight of a heavy plant being disposed therein. 
         [0028]    Preferably, one or more detents  54  extend upwardly from an interior surface of bottom wall  42   b  and into chamber  48 . These detents  54  ensure there will be a gap between interior surface of bottom wall  42   b  and root screen  46  when pot  28  is assembled. 
         [0029]    Shell  42  further defines a drain opening  56  in bottom wall  42   b.  A drain pipe  58  extends outwardly from exterior surface of bottom wall  42   b  and is in fluid communication with drain opening  56 . Drain opening  56  and therefore the bore  58   a  of drain pipe  58  are in fluid communication with chamber  48  in shell  42 . Preferably, drain pipe  58  tapers toward its free end which is remote from bottom wall  42 . A length of hose  60  is engaged with drain pipe  58 , as will be later described herein. The free end of drain pipe  58  is received within bore  60   a  of hose  60  and the tapered shape of the free end enables this to be done relatively easily. 
         [0030]    In order to retain shell  42  on cables  24 ,  26 , at a desired distance relative to the arm  1622  from which cables  24 ,  26  hang, a cable stop  62  is engaged with each cable. Cable stop  62  is selectively movable along the length of the respective cable  24 ,  26  to the desired position and then a locking mechanism  62  on cable stop  62  is engaged to keep the stop at that position. Cable stops  62  are of a size that is greater than the channels  50   a,    50   b  in bosses  50 ,  52 . Thus, bosses  50 ,  52  are unable to move past cable stops  62  and shell  42  is thereby retained at the preset distance from the respective arm  16 - 22 . Each of the plurality of pots  28  is suspended in this manner on cables  24 ,  26 . Cable stops  62  make it possible to space pots  28  at any desired distance away from each other. Thus, if the gardener wishes to grow taller plants in pots  28 , he or she will string fewer pots  28  on cables  24 ,  26  and will space them further apart, locking the pots in place with cable stops  62 . For shorter plants, more pots  28  may be threaded onto cables  24 ,  26  and are moved therealong to position them closer to each other. 
         [0031]    Referring still to  FIGS. 6-10 , plant basket  44  includes a generally cylindrical peripheral wall  44   a,  a bottom wall  44   b  and a top edge  44   c.  Top edge includes a pair of opposed lips  44   d  which can be grasped by the gardener to lift plant basket  44  out of the chamber  48  of shell  42 . Lips  44   d  are best seen in  FIGS. 7 and 10 . Plant basket  44  is complementary in shape to shell  42  but is smaller than shell  42  so that a gap is defined between interior surface of shell  42  and exterior surface of basket  44 , as can be seen in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0032]    Plant basket  44  defines a plurality of openings  64  therein. Openings  64  preferably are defined in the lower two-thirds of peripheral wall  44   a  and in bottom wall  44   b  ( FIG. 7 ). Openings  64  are of a sufficient size to permit the roots of a plant, such as plant  30  from  FIG. 1 , to extend therethrough and into the gap between plant basket  44  and shell  42 . 
         [0033]    Root screen  46  is disposed between bottom wall  44   b  of plant basket  42  and bottom wall  42   b  of shell  42 . Preferably, root screen  46  is a plate-like disc  46   a  defining a plurality of apertures  66  therein. Apertures  66  are substantially smaller than openings  64  and are configured to allow water to flow therethrough. Openings  66  are small enough to substantially prevent roots from growing therethrough. 
         [0034]    Root screen  46  further includes a spacer  46   b  which projects upwardly from an upper surface thereof and engages bottom wall  44   b  of plant basket  44 . Spacer  46   b  ensures there is a gap for water to flow through between bottom wall  44   b  of plant basket  44  and bottom wall  42   b  of shell  42 . Spacer  46   b  also supports bottom wall  44   b  of plant basket  44  and thereby the weight of any plant  30  retained in plant basket  44 . 
         [0035]    Peripheral wall  44   a  and bottom wall  44   b  of plant basket  44  bound and define a cavity  68  into which a plant, such as plant  30  is able to be received. 
         [0036]    It will be understood that preferably all of the pots  28  on cables  24 ,  26  suspended from arms  16 - 22  are configured in the manner described above. 
         [0037]    Growing system  10  further includes water delivery system  32 . As best shown in  FIG. 6 , water delivery system  32  comprises a reservoir  70 , a pump  72 , and a plurality of water pipes  74 . Reservoir  70  is retained within compartment  36  in base  12  and is therefore hidden from view. Reservoir  70  may take any suitable form and is configured to retain a quantity of water  76  therein. The gardener is able to top up reservoir  70  through access door  12   f  in base  12 . Pump  72  is an immersed fountain pump which is placed so as to be able to push water  76  from reservoir  70  into a central pipe  74  which runs up mast  14 . Pump  72  is connected to a power supply via an electric cord  78  which is able to plug into an electrical outlet (not shown). It will be understood that another power source, such as a battery, may, alternatively, be utilized to power pump  72 . 
         [0038]    Pipe  74  splits into four pipes  74   a  at top end  14   a  of mast  14 . Each of the pipes  74   a  extends along one of the arms  16 - 22  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ), and then extends downwardly to the uppermost pot  28   a  in one of the column of pots. A length of hose  60 , as previously described, extends outwardly from the bottom of each pot  28  in the column and thereby forms an extension of pipe  74 / 74   a.  A length of hose  60   b  extends outwardly from the lowermost pot  28   b  in the column of pots. The four lengths of hose  60   b  are guided by mast  14  back downwardly and into reservoir  70 . Thus, pump  72  pushes water upwardly through pipe  74  to top end  14   a  of mast  14  and then along arms  16 - 22 , and through an uppermost section  74   a  into uppermost pot  28   a  ( FIG. 5 ). Water delivered to the uppermost pot  28   a  initially collects in plant basket  44 , then drains through openings  64  into the gap between bottom wall  44   b  and bottom wall  42   b,  and thus collects in shell  42 . When a plant  30  in in uppermost pot  28   a  ( FIG. 1 ), the roots of that plant  30  will be bathed in the water collected in the shell  42  thereof. The water will slowly drain out of shell  42  through drain opening  56 , through drain pipe  58  and into hose  60 . Water flows through hose  60  into the vertically adjacent and intermediate pot  28   c  disposed beneath uppermost pot  28   a,  where the process will be repeated. Water spillage is substantially prevented in growing system  10  because each hose  60  extends for a short distance below top edge  42   c  of shell  42  of the pot  28  immediately below. This is illustrated in  FIG. 2  where it can be seen that the terminal end of each hose  60   a  is a distance downwardly from top edge  42   c.    
         [0039]    Water thus will flow from one intermediate pot  28   c  to the next until it flows into lowermost pot  28   b.  Any water remaining in pot  28   b  will drain through lowermost hose sections  60   b  and back into reservoir  70  to be recycled through system  10  by pump  72 . 
         [0040]    Finally, growing system  10  preferably also includes light delivery system  34  comprising lengths of a light bar  80  which are provided at intervals along the sides of mast  14 . Preferably, each light bar  80  is provided in alignment with one of the arms  16 - 22 . Light bars  80  extend from proximate bottom end  14   b  of mast  14  to proximate top end  14   a  thereof. Preferably, light bars  80  include pluralities of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). Light bars  80  will also be operatively connected, along with pump  72 , to a power supply, preferably via electrical cord  78 . It will be understood that instead of light bars  80  the LEDs may be applied to or form part of cables  24 ,  26  and may also be applied along the underside of arms  16 - 22 . 
         [0041]    Growing system  10  is used in the following manner to grow plant  30 . The method includes; 
         [0042]    positioning the plant  30  in a pot, such as pot  28   a;    
         [0043]    suspending pot  28   a  on a cable  24  some distance above a ground surface; 
         [0044]    watering plant  30  in pot  28  using a water-delivery system  32 . 
         [0045]    The method further includes the step of providing illumination to plant  30  via light bars  80  disposed adjacent the suspended pot  28   a.    
         [0046]    The method further includes the step of positioning plant  30  in pot  28  by: 
         [0047]    placing plant  30  in a plant basket  44  so that the roots of the plant extend outwardly therefrom; 
         [0048]    lowering plant basket  44  into a shell  42  so that the roots thereof are disposed in a space between plant basket  44  and shell  42 ; and 
         [0049]    applying water  76  via water-delivery system  32  into the space to surround the roots. 
         [0050]    Still further, the method includes: 
         [0051]    positioning a root screen  46  between a bottom wall  44   b  of plant basket  44  and bottom wall  42   b  of shell  42 . 
         [0052]    Still further, the method includes:
       threading two cables  24 ,  26  through channels  50   a,    52   a  disposed on a peripheral wall  42   a  of shell  42 ;   sliding the pot to a desired position along the lengths of the cables  24 .  26 ; and   engaging a cable stop  62  to retain the pot at the desired position.       
 
         [0056]    Finally, the method further includes:
       suspending an additional pot  28   c  on the two cables  24 ,  26  at a position disposed a distance beneath the pot  28   a;      draining water through a drain pipe  58  in the bottom wall of the pot; and   delivering the drained water through a hose  60  from drain pipe  58  into a plant basket  44  of the additional pot  28   c,  and   watering a second plant (not shown) in second plant basket  44 .       
 
         [0061]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
         [0062]    Moreover, the description and illustration of the preferred embodiment of the invention are an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.