Patent Description:
The inventors are aware of hydroponic systems and arrangements. In particular, the inventors filed an earlier <CIT>.

Existing planters are prone to plants growing into each other and getting attached to each other in the planter, which make the harvesting of plants from the planter cumbersome.

Furthermore, the present invention has the object of improving planting density without compromising growth. <CIT> discloses an ecological construction system comprising an integral wall structure comprising hollow cavities and arrangements of punched sections on the front or rear surface thereof, with drip-irrigation pipes and nozzles provided therein.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a planter which includes a longitudinal body defining at least two longitudinally extending liquid channels; and at least two plant holders defined in the body, the plant holders spaced on the outer circumference of the longitudinal body, each one of the at least two plant holders in fluid flow communication with one of the at least two longitudinally extending liquid channels.

The longitudinal body may include a single longitudinal conduit which is internally divided to define the at least two longitudinally extending liquid channels.

Each planter holder may define a holder mouth into which plants are receivable. In particular the holder mouth may be shaped as an applanated cylindrical ellipse, -circle or the like.

In one embodiment, the at least two plant holders may be located on opposed sides of the longitudinal body. In particular, the at least two plant holders may be alternatively spaced on opposed sides over the length of the longitudinal body.

Each of the plant holders may be in fluid flow communication with a different one of the longitudinally extending liquid channels.

The longitudinal body may include connecting formations at the ends of the longitudinal body.

The connecting formations may be shaped and dimensioned to fit into corresponding connection formations of corresponding planters.

The operative lower end of the longitudinal body of the planter may have a connection formation for fitting into a corresponding connection formation on an operative upper end of a longitudinal body of a corresponding planter installed below the former planter, and the operative upper end of the longitudinal body of the planter may have a connection formation for fitting into a corresponding connection formation on an operative lower end of a longitudinal body of a corresponding planter installed above the former planter.

In one embodiment the connecting formations may be in the form of socket and spigot formations shaped and dimensioned to fit into respective spigot and socket formations of corresponding planters.

The operative lower end of the longitudinal body of the planter may have a spigot formation, for fitting into a socket formation on an operative upper end of a longitudinal body of a corresponding planter installed below the former planter and the operative upper end of the longitudinal body of the planter may have a socket formation for receiving a spigot formation on an operative lower end of a longitudinal body of a corresponding planter installed above the former planter.

In an opposed example, the operative lower end of the longitudinal body of the planter may have socket formation, for receiving a spigot formation on an operative upper end of a longitudinal body of a corresponding planter installed below the former planter and the operative upper end of the longitudinal body of the planter may have a spigot formation for fitting into a socket formation on an operative lower end of a longitudinal body of a corresponding planter installed above the former planter.

Each plant holder may include an inlet opening and an outlet opening, which is in flow communication with its corresponding liquid channel. In particular the inlet opening may be located above the outlet opening to permit gravitational liquid flow into the plant holder through the inlet opening and liquid flow from the plant holder through the outlet opening.

The planter may include at least one longitudinally extending gas channel, the gas channel having gas outlets spaced along its length. The gas outlets may open to the outside of the planter body. The gas outlets may be in the form of nozzles.

The connecting formations may be shaped and dimensioned to connect adjacent planter bodies together. The connecting formations may include liquid channel connecting formations for connecting the liquid channels of adj acent planter bodies together. The connecting formations may include gas channel connecting formations for connecting the gas channels of adjacent planter bodies together.

The planter may include an external attachment formation proximate the plant holder mouth for attaching plant supports. In particular, the attachment formation may be located below the plant holder mouth and may receive various types of plant supports, such as a creeper trellis and the like. In this embodiment, the creeper trellis may be arranged to support a creeper plant, planted in the plant holder when it grows from the plant holder mouth.

The external attachment formation may further be supportive of lighting means, proximate the plant leaves for enhancing lighting onto the plant and subsequent plant growth. The lighting means may be in the form of light emitting diodes (LED's) operable to emit a specific frequency of light.

The planter may further include planting inserts shaped and dimensioned to fit into mouths of the at least two plant holders.

The planting inserts may be selected from any one or more of: a seedling tray, a planting tray, a seeding clip and the like.

The seedling tray may be in the form of a cylindrical body, shaped to the shape of the plant holder. The seedling tray may have a depth of about <NUM>. The seedling tray may include an inlet opening indexed with the inlet opening of the plant holder. The seedling tray may include a planar base cut in sections to provide drainage slits. The drainage slits may be less than <NUM> in width to permit liquid drainage without flushing seedlings from the seedling tray.

The planting tray may be in the form of a cylindrical body shaped to the shape of the plant holder. The planting tray may have a depth of about <NUM>. The planting tray may include an inlet opening indexed with the inlet opening of the plant holder. The planting tray may include a planar base cut in sections to provide drainage slits. A portion of the planting tray sidewall may also include drainage slits. The portion of the sidewall may be slightly tapered towards the base. The drainage slits may be less than <NUM> in width to permit liquid drainage without flushing seedlings from the seedling tray.

The seeding clip may have a planar body for closing the planter mouth and provided with a downwardly projecting plate having a slot shaped to engage the stem of a plant.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a planter tower, which includes a plurality of planters as described, connected together to form an elongate upright planter with plant holders extending from the sides of the planter tower.

The planter tower may include between eight and sixteen planters connected together.

The planter tower may include at least one end member, shaped and dimensioned to connect onto an end the plurality of planters connected together.

Specifically the planter tower may include two end members, a top end member for connecting to the top end of the plurality of planters and a bottom end member for connecting to the bottom end of the plurality of planters.

The at least one end member may be shaped to fit onto an end of a longitudinal body of a planter, socket and spigot fashion.

The at least one end member may include dual liquid conduits indexed to match the longitudinally extending liquid channels.

The at least one end member may include a gas conduit indexed to match a gas channel extending through the planters.

The at least one end member may include a body with two sides, one of which is provided with a socket formation and one of which is provided with a spigot formation for fitting onto matched spigot and socket formations of the ends of the longitudinal body.

The top end member may be in the form of an intake closure attached at a top end of a plurality of inter-connected planters for directing liquid into the two longitudinally extending liquid channels and for directing gas into the at least one longitudinally extending gas channel.

The bottom end member may be in the form of an outlet closure attached at a bottom end of a plurality of inter-connected planters for directing liquid from the two longitudinally extending liquid channels and for directing gas from the at least one longitudinally extending gas channel.

The at least one end member may include a catchment tray, for receiving any overflow liquid.

The liquid channels may extend over the length of the interconnected planters.

Each planter in the planter tower may include a gas channel, the gas channel extends over the length of the inter-connected planters.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a hydroponic greenhouse, which includes an array of planter towers, the planter towers arranged in parallel spaced rows, the rows being provided with a top liquid and gas supply line, connected via an intake closure to a top of each of the planter towers, the rows further being provided with a bottom liquid and gas collection line, connected via an outlet closure to a bottom of each of the planter towers; a liquid circulation system, connected to the liquid supply lines and the liquid collection lines; a gas circulation system, connected to the gas supply lines and the gas collection lines.

In an embodiment where the gas outlets, described above, are directed to the outsides of the planter bodies, the gas outlets may be directed at plants in an adjacent planter tower, advantageously to provide an adequate exchange of gas on the leaves of an adjacent plant.

The greenhouse may include a partially closed enclosure, which may be provided with any one or more of air conditioners, high pressure fans, dampers, coiled coolers for recirculation of the liquid or gas from the liquid collection lines to the liquid supply lines or alternatively gas supply lines, geothermal heater/coolers, heat pumps, humidity controllers, infra-red controllers, and the like.

The greenhouse may be provided with a nutrient supply dosing pump connected to the liquid circulation system for dosing nutrients into the liquid circulation system.

The greenhouse may further include a filtering arrangement connected to the liquid circulation system for filtering the liquid in the liquid circulation system.

The invention will now be described by way of a non-limiting example only, with reference to the following drawing.

In <FIG> a planter <NUM>, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, is shown. The planter <NUM> has a longitudinal body <NUM>, in two halves <NUM> and <NUM>, as best shown in <FIG>.

The longitudinal body <NUM> defines two longitudinally extending liquid channels <NUM> and <NUM> as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

The planter <NUM> includes two plant holders <NUM>, <NUM> defined on the outer circumference of the longitudinal body. As can be seen in <FIG>, the two plant holders <NUM>, <NUM> have openings <NUM>, <NUM> defining liquid inlets to the plant holders and <NUM>, <NUM> defining liquid outlets from the plant holders.

As can be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, the plant holders <NUM>, <NUM> have holder mouths in the form of applanated cylindrical ellipses.

As can be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, the two plant holders <NUM>, <NUM> are alternatively spaced on opposed sides of the longitudinal body.

In <FIG> and <FIG>, it can be seen that the longitudinal body has connecting formations <NUM>, <NUM> in the form of socket and spigot formations at the ends of the longitudinal body <NUM>. As can be seen in <FIG>, the connecting formations are shaped and dimensioned to fit into respective spigot and socket formations of corresponding planters.

Importantly the operative lower end of the longitudinal body <NUM> of the planter <NUM> has a spigot formation <NUM>, for fitting into a socket formation <NUM> on an operative upper end of a longitudinal body <NUM> of a corresponding planter <NUM> installed below the former planter.

As can be seen in <FIG>, each plant holder <NUM>, <NUM> has an inlet opening <NUM>, <NUM> and an outlet opening <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively, which forms part of its corresponding liquid channel <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. As can be seen, the inlet openings <NUM>, <NUM> are located above the outlet openings <NUM>, <NUM> to permit liquid to flow into the plant holders <NUM>, <NUM> through the inlet openings <NUM>, <NUM> and from the plant holder through the outlet opening <NUM>, <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, each plant holder <NUM> comprises two halves, which defines a complete plant holder, when connected to each other.

The planter <NUM> further includes a longitudinally extending gas channel <NUM>. The gas channel <NUM> has outlets spaced along its length. In particular, the gas channel <NUM> has outlets <NUM> that open to the outside of the planter body <NUM> (see <FIG>). The gas outlets <NUM> are in the form of nozzles, when the planters are assembled in an array as shown in <FIG>, the nozzles are directed at plants in adjacent planter towers, to ensure adequate gas exchange on the leaves of those plants.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the planter has an external attachment formation <NUM> proximate the plant holder mouth for attaching plant supports. One example of such a plant support is a plant trellis <NUM>, shown in <FIG>, which has a corresponding attachment formation <NUM>, which can fit into the attachment formation <NUM>, spigot and socket fashion. The creeper trellis <NUM> is arranged to support a creeper plant (not shown), planted in the plant holder when it grows from the plant holder mouth <NUM>, <NUM>.

The planter <NUM> also has external attachment formations in the form of apertures <NUM>, for holding wire, line or cables that can provide additional structural strength to the planter assembly <NUM> or to provide a structure onto which creepers can grow.

Each planter <NUM> also includes planting inserts (as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>) shaped and dimensioned to fit onto mouths of the plant holders <NUM>, <NUM>. The planting inserts are selected from: a seedling tray, a planting tray and a seeding clip. The planting inserts may be selected based on its suitability for a specific plant.

In <FIG> a seedling tray <NUM> is shown, which is shaped and dimensioned to fit into a mouth of a plant holder <NUM>, <NUM>. The seedling tray <NUM> has a depth of about <NUM>. The seedling tray <NUM> has an inlet opening <NUM> indexed with the inlet openings <NUM>, <NUM> of the plant holder. The seedling tray <NUM> has a planar base cut in sections to provide drainage slits <NUM>. The drainage slits <NUM> are less than <NUM> in width to permit liquid drainage without flushing seedlings from the seedling tray <NUM>.

In <FIG> a planting tray <NUM> is shown, which is shaped and dimensioned to fit into a mouth of a plant holder <NUM>, <NUM>. The planting tray <NUM> has a depth of about <NUM> and is in the form of a cylindrical body shaped to the shape of the plant holder <NUM>, <NUM>. The planting tray <NUM> includes an inlet opening <NUM> indexed with the inlet openings of the plant holder <NUM>, <NUM>. The planting tray <NUM> has a planar base cut in sections to provide drainage slits. A portion of the planting tray sidewall also has drainage slits <NUM>. The portion of the sidewall is slightly tapered towards the base. The drainage slits is less than <NUM> in width to permit liquid drainage without flushing seedlings from the seedling tray <NUM>.

In <FIG> a seeding clip <NUM> is shown. The seeding clip <NUM> is shaped to fit onto the mouth of a plant holder <NUM>, <NUM>. The seeding clip <NUM> has a planar body for closing the planter mouth and is provided with a downwardly projecting plate <NUM> and a slot <NUM> shaped to engage the stem of a plant. The seeding clip <NUM> further includes finger projections <NUM>, which can be compressed towards each other for removing the seeding clip <NUM> from the mouth of the plant holder <NUM>, <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a planter tower <NUM> in accordance with a further aspect of the invention. In this example the planter tower <NUM> includes two planters <NUM>, <NUM> as described, connected together to form an elongate upright planter, with plant holders <NUM>, <NUM> extending from the sides of the planter tower <NUM> (It is to be appreciated that in a preferred embodiment a planter tower would include about eight planters connected together as shown in <FIG>).

The planter tower <NUM> is provided with two end members <NUM>, as best shown in <FIG>, (not mounted in <FIG>) shaped to fit socket and spigot fashion onto a top or bottom end of a longitudinal body <NUM> of a planter <NUM>.

The end members <NUM> have dual liquid conduits <NUM>, <NUM> indexed to match the longitudinally extending liquid channels <NUM>, <NUM>. The end members <NUM> also each has a gas conduit <NUM> indexed to match the gas channel <NUM> extending through the planters.

The end members <NUM> each has a body with two sides, an upper side which is provided with a socket formation <NUM> and a bottom side which is provided with a spigot formation <NUM> for fitting onto matched spigot- <NUM> and socket- <NUM> formations on the ends of the longitudinal body <NUM> of the planters <NUM>. The upper and bottom sides further includes a recessed cradle formation for receiving a top liquid and gas supply line (as shown in <FIG>) and a bottom liquid and gas collection line across the end members. In this example the upper cradle formation is dimensioned to fit a <NUM> to <NUM> pipe and the bottom cradle formation is dimensioned to fit a <NUM> to <NUM> pipe.

In this example the planter tower <NUM> includes a top end member <NUM> for connecting to the top end of the plurality of planters <NUM>, <NUM> and a bottom end member <NUM> for connecting to the bottom end of the plurality of planters <NUM>, <NUM>. The top end member <NUM> and bottom end member <NUM> are identical in shape and dimension, but function as an intake closure <NUM> and outlet closure <NUM> respectively.

The intake closure <NUM> attached at a top end of a plurality of interconnected planters, being operable to direct liquid into the two longitudinally extending liquid channels <NUM>, <NUM> and for directing gas into the longitudinally extending gas channel <NUM>.

The outlet closure <NUM> attached at a bottom end of a plurality of interconnected planters, being operable to direct liquid out from the two longitudinally extending liquid channels <NUM>, <NUM>.

The liquid channels <NUM>, <NUM> and gas channel <NUM> extend over the length of the inter-connected planters <NUM>.

The bottom side of the end members <NUM> also includes a catchment tray <NUM> on the outer perimeter of the end members. When the end member <NUM> is used as a bottom end member, the catchment tray <NUM> is operable to receive overflow liquid from the planter tower <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the plant holders <NUM>, <NUM> which are alternatively spaced on opposed sides over the length of the of the planter tower <NUM>, provide for maximum space and access to sunlight for the plants. Furthermore, with the roots growing downwardly, possibly into the liquid channels <NUM>, <NUM>, maximum provision is made for root growth, without interference from plants directly below or above any planter.

<FIG> shows a hydroponic greenhouse <NUM> in accordance with yet a further aspect of the invention. The hydroponic greenhouse <NUM> includes an array of planter towers as described. In this figure only one row of planter towers <NUM> to <NUM> are shown (for illustrative purposes), however in practice the hydroponic greenhouse includes a plurality of parallel spaced planter tower rows.

The rows being provided with a top liquid and gas supply line <NUM>, connected via an intake closure <NUM> to a top of each of the planter towers <NUM>. The rows are further provided with a bottom liquid and gas collection line <NUM>, connected via an outlet closure <NUM> to a bottom of each of the planter towers <NUM>.

The hydroponic greenhouse <NUM> includes a liquid circulation system (not shown), connected to the liquid supply lines <NUM> and the liquid collection lines <NUM> and a gas circulation system (not shown), connected to the gas supply lines <NUM> and the gas collection lines <NUM>.

In this example the top liquid and gas supply line <NUM> includes a <NUM> to <NUM> diameter plastic outer pipe, onto which the top end members <NUM> of each planter tower <NUM> in the row is attached. The <NUM> to <NUM> diameter plastic outer pipe includes interspaced apertures through which liquid and gas is fed into the planter towers <NUM>. The top end members (inlet closures) <NUM> are secured to the pipe via connectors. In this example the connectors are in the form of cable ties (not shown), which are threaded through connector apertures <NUM> on the end members <NUM>.

In this example the bottom liquid and gas collection line <NUM> includes a <NUM> to <NUM> diameter plastic outer pipe, onto which the bottom end members (outlet closures) <NUM> of each planter tower <NUM> in the row is attached. The <NUM> to <NUM> diameter plastic outer pipe includes interspaced apertures through which liquid and gas is received from the planter towers <NUM>. The bottom end members <NUM> are secured to the pipe via connectors. In this example the connectors are in the form of cable ties (not shown), which are threaded through connector apertures <NUM> on the end members <NUM>.

The hydroponic greenhouse includes a partially closed enclosure (not shown), which is provided with any one or more of: air conditioners, high pressure fans, dampers, coiled coolers for recirculation of the liquid or gas from the liquid collection lines to the liquid supply lines or alternatively gas supply lines, geothermal heater/coolers, heat pumps, humidity controllers and infra-red controllers.

The hydroponic greenhouse is also provided with a nutrient supply dosing pump (not shown) connected to the liquid circulation system for dosing nutrients into the liquid circulation system.

Claim 1:
A planter (<NUM>) comprising:
a longitudinal body (<NUM>) defining at least two longitudinally extending liquid channels (<NUM>, <NUM>); characterised by
at least two plant holders (<NUM>, <NUM>) defined in the longitudinal body (<NUM>) and spaced on the outer circumference of the longitudinal body (<NUM>), each one of the at least two plant holders (<NUM>, <NUM>) in fluid flow communication with one of the at least two longitudinally extending liquid channels (<NUM>, <NUM>);
wherein the longitudinal body (<NUM>) consists in two halves (<NUM>, <NUM>), and
wherein each plant holder (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprises two halves, which define a complete plant holder, when connected together.