Patent ID: 8667734

Claim:
A hydroponic plant container comprising: a nutrient solution reservoir container with an upper opening; a volume of highly oxygenated nutrient solution; a growing media basket with liquid drainage holes therein, a volume of porous growing media capable of absorbing liquid; a water pump; and a hydro valve assembly, comprising: an influent channel, a plant feed segment, a restriction segment, an air intake segment, and an air injection point, wherein, said volume of highly oxygenated nutrient solution is contained within said nutrient solution reservoir container, said volume of porous growing media is contained within said growing media basket, said growing media basket rests partially within said opening of said nutrient solution reservoir container, said hydro valve assembly is located at the bottom of said nutrient solution reservoir container, said water pump is hydraulically connected to said influent channel to cause the flow of said volume of highly oxygenated nutrient solution therethrough, said influent channel is hydraulically connected to said plant feed segment to cause the flow of said volume of highly oxygenated nutrient solution therethrough, said influent channel is hydraulically connected to said restriction segment to cause the flow of said volume of highly oxygenated nutrient solution therethrough, said restriction segment is a segment of hydraulic flow channel with a reduced effective flow diameter as compared to that of said influent channel to cause the flow velocity of said volume of highly oxygenated nutrient solution to increase therein, thereby causing a reduction in hydraulic pressure therein, said air intake segment is an air flow chamber hydraulically connected to said air injection point, which is hydraulically connected to said restriction segment, said reduction in hydraulic pressure causing the suction of air through said air intake segment and through said air injection point to cause air injection into said volume of highly oxygenated nutrient solution flowing inside through restriction segment, and the effluent flow of said volume of highly oxygenated nutrient solution from said restriction segment is set at a trajectory angle [ 175 ] ranging from 25-45 degrees inclusive.