Nutrient Recirculation System (e.g., Hydroponic System) Patents (Class 47/62R)
  • Patent number: 6105309
    Abstract: The plant cultivation apparatus and plant cultivation method hasten the growth of a plant root without root injury even if the basic root has been sufficiently bathed in cultivation water solution, reduce a cost for competing with alleyway vegetables by reducing electric power consumption as much as possible, which has been the greatest factor for cultivation cost, by utilizing fluorescent light as efficiently as possible for cultivating the plant while oxygen necessary for growing the plant root can be supplied sufficiently and bacteria cannot be produced, and prevent heat injury such as a chip-burn by minimizing heat energy generated by the light source (fluorescent light).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: E.T. Harvest Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eifu Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 6088958
    Abstract: A method for producing potato tubers by hydroponics, by which potato tubers free from lenticel hypertrophy may be produced is disclosed. The method for producing potato tubers according to the present invention is characterized in that a partition member through which roots of potatoes can pass while stolons of potatoes cannot pass is provided above nutrient solution, that the roots are at least partially immersed in the nutrient solution through the partition member, and that the stolons of potatoes are grown on the upper side of the partition member so as to form potato tubers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Japan Tobacco, Inc.
    Inventors: Ichiro Oka, Takahiro Ohno
  • Patent number: 6065245
    Abstract: A dietary inclusion model for an integrated aquaculture-hydroponics system is derived from the concept of mass conservation. The model enables the maintenance of near-equilibrium concentrations of Ca, K, Mg, N, and P, suitable concentrations of Mn and Cu, and acceptable accumulation rates of Na and Zn, in representative integrated aquaculture-hydroponics systems, by modifying the mineral concentrations of the fish diets according to the model. The model is readily applicable to virtually any freshwater recirculating fish culture system operating at a recycle ratio sufficiently high to maintain appropriate nitrogen concentrations and having an environment suitable for hydroponic plant culture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Inventor: Damon E. Seawright
  • Patent number: 6058650
    Abstract: Apparatus for planting green plants on reinforced concrete structures includes a T-shaped base mount having a positioning hole connected to an L-shaped tube and a high density sponge inside. The base mount is connected to a cylinder which includes a positioning hole connected to a T-shaped tube. A sand-releasing tube is connected at the bottom of the T-shaped tube and a funnel-connected snake-shaped tube is connected at the top. Another positioning hole on the cylinder is connected to an L-shaped air pipe. A cover plate having a hole at the center is attached to the top of the cylinder, the hole in the cover plate being connectable to a planting tube. The cylinder is connected to an anchor-shaped metal handle and a cylinder fixing frame so as to position the entire apparatus on steel rods within the reinforced concrete structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Inventor: Chun Pu Chen
  • Patent number: 6055768
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus to energize a fluid. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a housing defining a bore therethrough within which is disposed an antenna so as to define an annulus between the housing and the antenna, the antenna being electrically coupled to both the housing and an electrical power source so as to create an electrical field through which water or other fluids may be passed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Inventor: Joe Everett Burkett
  • Patent number: 6000173
    Abstract: A hydroponic plant growth station having a growing board with a plurality of holes arranged in at least one vertical column of holes, a nutrient delivery channel disposed beneath the column of holes, and a supply of nutrient to the delivery channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Inventors: Matthew Alan Schow, Jason Lyndey Wynn
  • Patent number: 5983564
    Abstract: A growing station having a growing tray on a watering bench, the tray adapted to expose a pumping compartment within the lowermost portion of the watering bench, the tray also adapted to filter and collect water that has been sprayed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Inventor: Steven Vincent Stragnola
  • Patent number: 5956897
    Abstract: An automatic plant growing and harvesting system 10 which can be used in either zero gravity or full Earth gravity conditions for controlled growth of plants 14, The system 10 includes an enclosure 12 which is adapted to allow at least one plant 14 to grow within, where the plants 14 each generally have a stem 56, foliage 52 and a root portion 58. The system 10 includes an illumination system 27, a material supply system 60 having a nutrient supply 72 and a water supply 70. The system 10 also includes a root chamber 50, a retractor assembly 46 for controllably retracting a lower portion of the plant stems 56 into the root chamber 50, a harvesting assembly 102 and a controller 100 which directs the actions of the included systems and assemblies. The system 10 is provided with a variable speed fan 26 to aid in produce harvesting and self-pollination, and a gravity compensator 114 for preventing water vapor accumulation in stagnant areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Inventor: Yasukazu Takashima
  • Patent number: 5921024
    Abstract: A raising seedling pot provided with passing parts on the side face and the bottom and capable of undergoing fracture is filled with a culture medium comprising a mixture of smoked charcoal or rice hulls with a water holding material, the raising seedling pot is immersed in a culture solution containing 1,000 to 1,800 ppm of a nitrogen component, 600 to 1,000 ppm of a phosphoric acid component, 1,500 to 3,500 ppm of a potassium component, 300 to 500 ppm of a magnesia component, and 900 to 1,400 ppm of a lime component, and nursery trees are raised using this culture solution.Thus, nursery tree growth is favorably affected and remarkably accelerated even after the transplantation of the nursery tree into soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Yugengaisya Syoryokuringyokenkyusyo
    Inventor: Tadataka Minoji
  • Patent number: 5887383
    Abstract: A liquid supply pump unit for hydroponic culture, which can perform oxygen enrichment and has a small power consumption, and a hydroponic culture apparatus, which utilizes this liquid supply pump unit and automatically supplies a larger amount of oxygen in the daytime when the plant growth is active, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Farmer's Design Inc.
    Inventor: Masanao Soeda