Abstract:
A modular hydroponic growth system and method for roof top farming. The system includes a nutrient solution reservoir and preferably at least one plant growth module. Each module may be repositioned upon a roof top to distribute higher weight-density components over strong points or legally specified areas of the roof. A frame preferably using industry standard components is joined with the system modules to increase the stability of a resulting aggregated structure. The water reservoir may alternatively be configured to circulate water through one or more growth modules or to simply deliver water through channels to the growth modules. The frame may optionally be affixed or attached to the roof top.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to hydroponic farming and more particularly to hydroponic systems and methods of use applicable to roof top farming. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The subject matter presented in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions. 
         [0003]    The prior art has many limitations in addressing numerous issues in designing, installing, maintaining and reconfiguring roof top hydroponic systems, including (i) conforming to weight bearing limitations, both structural and regulatory, imposed on roof top equipment installations; (ii) coping with the relative susceptibility and fragility of individual pieces of equipment to wind damage and seismic events; (iii) adapting equipment siting, orientation, and configuration to accommodate obstructions commonly found on rooftops; (iv) conforming to building codes that are imposed on the basis of business use cases and in light of broadly applied zoning-based regulations; (v) converting or redesigning tools, methods, and equipment that were originally developed in, and to best support, large ground based green house installations to roof top environments where space is precious and available floor space is comparatively less contiguous; (vi) addressing the needs of real estate owners and property managers to have flexibility to rapidly respond to unforeseen urgencies in equipment placement, reconfiguration, disassembly and removal; and (vii) avoiding the increased demands of maintaining and using large equipment, to include modular equipment sizes, that is exposed to the natural elements and in the restrictive setting of a roof top. 
         [0004]    There is therefore a long-felt need to provide hydroponic systems that are more effectively and more efficiently configurable and reconfigurable on roof tops and other locations that are exposed to the elements and commonly present obstructions or regulations that limit equipment placement choices. 
       SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Toward these and other objects that are made obvious in light of the present disclosure, a method and system are provided that enable a modular deployment of an invented hydroponics system on a rooftop and locations with limitations of equipment placement choice. 
         [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular hydroponics system that is more adaptable to roof top placement. In one aspect of the method of the present invention (hereinafter, “the invented method”) a nutrient solution reservoir and at least one growth module are positioned on a roof top such that the higher weight density components are positioned at locations on the roof top that are rated to support higher loads. 
         [0007]    In another optional aspect of the invented method, one or more growth modules are mechanically coupled with the fluid reservoir to establish a unified assembly, whereby the unified assembly is more resistant to environmental damage and shock than isolated modules and reservoirs. The unified structure can also be affixed to a rooftop with fewer attachment points than if each individual element of the system was affixed independently. 
         [0008]    This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0009]    The invention is pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. The advantages of this invention described above, and further advantages, may be better understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of an invented hydroponics system positioned on a rooftop, the invented hydroponics system including a nutrient solution reservoir and a growth module; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  is a block diagram of the essential components of the invented hydroponic system of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2A  is a top view of the rooftop of  FIG. 1A  and the nutrient solution reservoir and eight growth modules; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2B  is a top view of the rooftop of  FIG. 1A  wherein the nutrient solution reservoir and eight growth modules are attached to a first frame; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2C  is a top view of the rooftop of  FIG. 1A  wherein the nutrient solution reservoir and eight growth modules are attached to a second frame; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2D  is a top view of the rooftop of  FIG. 1A  wherein the nutrient solution reservoir and eight growth modules are attached to a third frame; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the first invented system of  FIG. 1A  having all four legs coupled to a pair of strut lengths; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of the first invented system of  FIG. 1A  having only two legs coupled to a single strut length; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4A  is a top view of a second rooftop having preferred equipment locations and obstructions; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4B  is a top view of the second rooftop of  FIG. 4A  with a fourth frame configuration; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4C  is a top view of the second rooftop of  FIG. 4A  and fourth frame of  FIG. 4B  coupled with a plurality of growth modules and nutrient solution reservoirs of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a top view of a third rooftop and a fifth frame coupled with a second plurality of growth modules and nutrient solution reservoirs of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a second invented system that includes a nutrient reservoir, two growth modules and system tubing of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a detailed view of a first leg applied to couple a growth module of  FIG. 1A  to the first frame of  FIG. 2B ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8A  is a detailed view of a second coupling assembly applied to couple a growth module of  FIG. 1A  to the third frame of  FIG. 2D  at a central point of the growth module; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8B  is a detailed view of the first leg of  FIG. 7  adapted to couple a growth module of  FIG. 1A  to the third frame of  FIG. 2D  at a central point of the growth module; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a detailed side view of a plurality of tubing protectors that couple to the frame of  FIG. 2B  to provide support for the system tubing of  FIG. 1A ; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  is perspective view of the exemplary first strut element of  FIG. 2C  with fastener bolts  22  and as installed in the first roof of  FIG. 2A ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  is a detailed, cut-away side view of a parapet anchor of  FIG. 4B . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to particular aspects of the present invention described, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims. 
         [0030]    Methods recited herein may be carried out in any order of the recited events which is logically possible, as well as the recited order of events. 
         [0031]    Where a range of values is provided herein, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges and are also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention. 
         [0032]    Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the methods and materials are now described. 
         [0033]    It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It is further noted that the claims may be drafted to exclude any optional element. As such, this statement is intended to serve as antecedent basis for use of such exclusive terminology as “solely,” “only” and the like in connection with the recitation of claim elements, or use of a “negative” limitation. 
         [0034]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the invented hydroponic system  2 , or first system  2 . The first system  2  includes a nutrient solution reservoir  4 , a growth module  6  and system fluid tubing  8 . The nutrient solution reservoir  4  (hereinafter, “reservoir”  4 ) includes suitable prior art plumbing and electrical equipment to provide a flow of a solution of dissolved nutrients and water to the cultivation module  6  (hereinafter, “module”  6 ). The reservoir  4  may comprise (a.) an electrical pump adapted to accept electrical power from an external source and/or electrical power from an electrical battery; (b.) a water volume; (c.) nutrients and one or more nutrient dispensing modules; (d.) pH balancing chemicals and pH balancing chemical dispensers; and (d.) tubing sufficient to deliver the solution of water, nutrients and pH balancing chemicals to the connecting system fluid tubing  8 . 
         [0035]    The module  6  comprises a cultivation chamber  6 A having a plurality of box legs  7 A- 7 D and a fluid distribution manifold  10 . The box legs  7 A- 7 D are preferably individually height adjustable in order to allow the growth module  4  be positioned on uneven surface while allowing the cultivation chamber  6 A to optimally orient an internal cultivation volume to support ebb and flow dynamics of the nutrient solution. A removable tubing cap  10 A fits onto a channel outlet  10 B of the fluid distribution manifold  10  of the growth module  6  to avoid loss of the nutrient solution. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 1B ,  FIG. 1B  is a block diagram of components of the invented hydroponic system  2 . The reservoir  4  maintains a nutrient solution source  200  and provides access to the nutrient solution source  200  to the pump  202  for distribution of nutrient solution through a solution channel  204  and into a growth volume  206  that is hospitable for plant growth. The growth module  6  provides an enclosure  208  that defines the growth volume  206 . Preferably the pump  202  is motorized and includes either a battery (not shown) or an electrical power connector  210 , wherein the electrical power connector  210  is adapted to couple with an external electrical power source (not shown). It preferable that the solution channel  204  be detachably coupleable with the both the nutrient solution source  200  and the enclosure  208 , whereby a length of the solution channel  204  may be sized in length, or cut to a desired length to enable a preferred placement of the nutrient solution source  200  and the enclosure  208 . 
         [0037]    Referring now to  FIG. 2A ,  FIG. 2A  is a top view of a second preferred embodiment of the invented system  12 , or second invented system  12 , positioned on a first rooftop  14 . The second invented system  12  includes a reservoir  4  and eight growth modules  6  coupled with additional elements of system fluid tubing  8  (hereinafter, “system tubing”  8 ). The system tubing  8  provides a channel that enables the reservoir  4  to deliver the nutrient solution to the growth modules  6 , where it is used to hydrate and nourish plant growth within the cultivation chamber  6 A, and optionally to return nutrient solution back to the reservoir  4 . The system tubing  8  couples with the fluid distribution manifold  10  of each growth module  6 . An access door  6 B of the growth module  6  is removably coupled to partially enclose the cultivation chamber  6 A with quick disconnect fasteners  6 C. 
         [0038]    Referring now to  FIG. 2B ,  FIG. 2B  is an alternate pattern of strut elements  16  that are coupled to reservoir  4  and the growth modules  6  and thereby provide the second invented system  12  with a first unified frame  18 . The strut elements  16  include strut lengths  20  of different sizes and fasteners  22  that join the strut lengths  20  together. The strut lengths  20  may be or comprise metallic struts, beams, or rails, to include framing and strut components marketed by Atkore Corporation of Harvey, Il in the UNISTRUT™ framing materials product lines, and other suitable framing and construction components known in the art. The fasteners  22  may comprise nails, screws, bolts, clips, brackets and other suitable fasteners and fastener assemblies known in the art. Fasteners  22  are applied to both couple strut lengths  20  together and to couple the reservoir  4  and the growth modules  6  to the strut lengths  20 . The reservoir  4  and each growth module  6  are each coupled to at least two strut lengths  20  of the first unified frame  18 . 
         [0039]    Referring now the  FIG. 2C ,  FIG. 2C  is a top view of an alternate arrangement of the second invented system  12  wherein the strut lengths  20  are shaped into a first strut length  20 A and a second strut length  20 B of a second unified frame  24 . Each strut length  20 A &amp;  20  B couples with only one side of four growth modules  6 . The first and second strut lengths  20 A &amp;  20 B are both coupled to the reservoir  4 . 
         [0040]    Referring now to  FIG. 2D , a third frame  26  provides five strut lengths  20 C- 20 G that are coupled together with fasteners  22  and are additionally coupled to a central point of each of the growth modules  6  and the reservoir  4 . 
         [0041]    Referring now to  FIG. 3A ,  FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of the first invented system  2  coupled to a pair of strut lengths  20 A &amp;  20 B at box legs  7 A- 7 D by fasteners  22 . The strut lengths  20 A &amp;  20 B may be or comprise UNISTRUT™ P1000 series products and/or other suitable struts or framing materials known in the art. A first pair of box legs  7 A &amp;  7 D are coupled to the strut  20 A and a second pair of box legs  7 B &amp;  7 C are coupled to the strut  20 B. 
         [0042]    Referring now to  FIG. 3B ,  FIG. 3B  is a perspective view of the first invented system  2  coupled to the eighth strut length  20 H by bolts  22 A and brackets  22 B. The first pair of box legs  7 A &amp;  7 C and the reservoir  4  are both coupled to the eighth strut  20 H. The second pair of box legs  7 B &amp;  7 D are not attached directly to a strut length  20 . 
         [0043]    Referring now to  FIG. 4A ,  FIG. 4A  is a top view of a second roof  28 . The second roof  28  presents a plurality of features, to include preferred equipment spots  28 A for placement of heavier equipment, e.g., reservoirs  4 , waste heat vents  28 B, chilled air vents  28 C, and various obstructions  28 E to equipment placement, e.g., access doors, HVAC equipment, weak spots that are unsafe to place equipment upon, chimneys, and pipes. It is understood that at least the preferred equipment spots  28 A that as desirable for placement of reservoirs  4  may be centered over structural elements of a host building, such as structural columns and beams. It is further understood that certain obstructions  28 E may be defined by laws, regulations and best practices wherein no physical obstruction need be present to prohibit authorization to position equipment at certain spots or areas of the second roof  28 . 
         [0044]    Referring now to  FIG. 4B ,  FIG. 4B  is a top view of the second roof  28  wherein a plurality of strut lengths  20  are positioned and coupled together by fasteners  22  to form a fourth frame  30 . The fourth frame  30  is patterned and prepositioned for coupling with reservoirs  4  and growth modules  6 . It is understood that the method of the present invention enables flexible siting of the invented system  2  to enable desirable placements of the invented system  2  proximate to waste heat vents  28 B and chilled air vents  28 C, whereby heat exchange equipment may be applied for use with the invented system  2 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 4B  also shows weights  32 , e.g., sand bags, that are placed upon or coupled to the strut lengths  20  provide additional stability and resistance to wind force and seismic events to the fourth frame  30  and the reservoirs  4  and growth modules  6 . In addition, parapet anchors  34  couple the fourth frame  30  to a parapet  28 P of the second roof  28  and increase the stability of the fourth frame  30  while mitigating the necessity of penetrating a substantively horizontal surface of a roof with fasteners. 
         [0046]    Referring now to  FIG. 4C ,  FIG. 4C  is a top view of twenty one growth modules  6  and four reservoirs  4  coupled to the fourth frame  30 . 
         [0047]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a top view of a third roof  36  having a plurality of obstructions  36 A wherein a fifth frame  38  is coupled with thirty seven growth modules  6  and five reservoirs  4 . It is noted that several growth modules  6  of  FIG. 5  are coupled to the fifth frame  38  at all four legs  7 A- 7 D, but that certain growth modules  6  are coupled to the fifth frame  38  at either a pair of box legs  7 A&amp;  7 D or  7 B &amp;  7 C or at a central point of a growth module  6 . 
         [0048]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6  is a top view of a third invented system  42  that includes a reservoir  4 , two growth modules  6  and system fluid tubing  8 . Separate lengths  8 A &amp;  8 B of system fluid tubing  8  respectively couple (a.) the reservoir  4  to the fluid distribution manifold  10  of a first growth module  6 ; and the fluid distribution manifold  10  of the first growth module  6  to a fluid distribution manifold  10  of a second growth module  6 , whereby nutrient fluid may be delivered to both growth modules  6  and optionally circulated back into the reservoir  4 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 7  is a detailed view of an exemplary attachment of a first leg  7 C of the growth module  6  to a strut element  20 . An upper leg element  700  presents an aperture through which a first bolt  702  extends. Each bolt  702  also extends through an intervening leg element  704  and is secured in place by a nut  706 . The intervening leg element  704  is secured to the strut element  20  by a bracket  708 . Vertical adjustment of each leg  7 A- 7 D of each growth module  6  may therefore be achieved by selectively positioning and bolting the intervening leg element  704  to the upper leg element  700 . Positioning of the leg within a frame  18 ,  24 ,  26   30  &amp;  38  is achieved by selecting where in the selected frame to the couple the leg  7 C to a strut  20  by means of the leg bracket  708 . 
         [0050]    The elements  700 - 710  of  FIG. 7  may be selected from suitable leg and fastener elements known in the art, to include UNISTRUT™ Part Numbers P9200, P9000, and P1747, or other suitable adjustable leg and fastening products and equipment known in the art. 
         [0051]      FIG. 8A  is a detailed view of a central coupling assembly  800  applied to couple a central fixture  6 C of a growth module  6  to an exemplary strut length  20  of the third frame  26 . The central coupling assembly  800  is a cable tightening system that includes a cable  802  and a cable turnbuckle  804 . Alternate manual rotating of the turnbuckle  804  about the cable  802  enables the cable  802  to be alternately tightened or loosened in reference to the coupled growth module  6  and the exemplary strut length  20 . A pair of pad eyes  806  &amp;  808  respectively couple the cable  802  to the growth module  6  and the length  20  by attachment with bolt and nut assemblies  706  &amp; 702 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 8B  is a presentation of a leg assembly  7 A as an alternative central coupling assembly  810 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 9  is a detailed perspective view of tubing protectors  900  that couple the system fluid tubing  8  to a frame  18 ,  24 ,  26 ,  30 , &amp;  38  and supports a coupling of the reservoir  4  with a plurality of growth modules  6 . The system fluid tubing  8  is a water channel and enables the reservoir  4  to deliver the nutrient solution to the growth modules  6 , and optionally enables drainage of nutrient solution from a plurality of growth modules  6  and into the reservoir  4 . One or more tubing protectors  900  may be or comprise a UNISTRUT Part No. 2.5-SB-H™ single base trapeze or other suitable tubing protectors known in the art. 
         [0054]    Referring now to  FIG. 10 ,  FIG. 10  is perspective view of an exemplary strut element  20  with fasteners  22  and as installed in the first roof  14 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 11  is a side cut-away view of a parapet anchor  34 , consisting of a parapet anchor bracket  34 A securing an exemplary strut length  20 E to the parapet  28 P of the second roof  28  using mechanical fasteners  34 B. 
         [0056]    The present invention provides many benefits over the prior art of rooftop farming systems, such as offering (i) closed loop hydroponics that allows for efficient use of water resources, (ii) Ebb and Flow style irrigation so the same water mass can be used for selective zone irrigation which can reduce the aggregate weight profile of an installed system (iii) a greenhouse type controlled environment that provides improvements in production/resource efficiency and can extend growing seasons as compared to “green roof” type, open air rooftop farming systems, (iv) a controlled environment that can be operated without requiring human presence inside the cultivation area, thus creating significant weight savings and avoiding a myriad of building code, workplace safety, and other regulatory challenges that arise in rooftop installations of conventional greenhouses, (v) distributed water weight management, through installation of multiple small reservoirs instead of a single large reservoir, that mitigates structural stresses on a host building (vi) modular configuration and framing options create the ability to place invented systems  2  in close proximity to sources of waste heating and cooling, e.g., building vents, and allows a roof top farm to be broken into small clusters that separately fit into the “nooks and crannies” of the urban landscape (vii) low profile invented systems  2  that are more aerodynamic than conventional greenhouses which reduce wind loading forces and low profile invented systems  2  that can be camouflaged easier to mitigate aesthetic objections from historic commissions or neighbors (ix) modular growth modules  6  allow for farm expansion and contraction on a linear scale. 
         [0057]    The foregoing disclosures and statements are illustrative only of the Present Invention, and are not intended to limit or define the scope of the Present Invention. The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Although the examples given herein include many specificities, they are intended as illustrative of only certain possible configurations or aspects of the Present Invention. The examples given should only be interpreted as illustrations of some of the preferred configurations or aspects of the Present Invention and the full scope of the Present Invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the Present Invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the Present Invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein. The scope of the present invention as disclosed and claimed should, therefore, be determined with reference to the knowledge of one skilled in the art and in light of the disclosures presented above.