Plant husbandry – Greenhouse – apparatus or method
Patent
1994-10-07
1998-09-29
Carone, Michael J.
Plant husbandry
Greenhouse, apparatus or method
47 62, A01G 900
Patent
active
058131680
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to environmentally controlled greenhouses, and, in particular, to a greenhouse which extends the growing season of seasonal plants to last virtually throughout the calendar year.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Greenhouses generally provide an environment which assists in facilitating the growth of many types of vegetation. In addition to the provision of optimum sunlight, the greenhouse's interior atmosphere may be controlled by other means. A heating or cooling system may be installed to compensate for variations from the desired interior temperature created by too little or too much sunlight. Reflective panels and insulating panels have also been pivotally attached to greenhouse wails and ceilings to assist in controlling the interior temperature. Despite the implementation of these technologies, the use of a greenhouse to extend the growing season of seasonal plants, such as strawberry plants, at an affordable cost, has been illusive. Generally, the requirement for a heating and cooling system sufficient to create a suitable environment for these environmentally sensitive plants has resulted in prohibitively expensive operating costs. Thus, it is desirable to develop an environmentally controlled greenhouse which may be utilized to extend the growing season of such plants and which is energy efficient and inexpensive to operate so that the farmer may profit from the sale of the plants or the fruit they bear.
One mechanism used to retain heat in the interior of the greenhouse during the nighttime hours or low sunlight conditions and to alleviate the problem of excess heating during warm weather comprises the placement of a translucent ceiling within the interior of the greenhouse. A movable panel is placed on top of the translucent ceiling during conditions of nighttime or low sunlight conditions. The panel is then moved away from the ceiling to allow sunlight to infiltrate through the translucent ceiling when sunlight or warmth in the greenhouse is desired. The translucent ceiling reduces the volume of space the greenhouse heating and cooling system must control, thereby reducing cost. Examples of translucent ceilings with movable panels include the inventions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,242,833 and 4,249,340. U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,212 discloses a solar heating and cooling system for a building which includes adjustable ceiling doors or panels which may be placed over the building's translucent ceiling to retain heat therein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,420 discloses pivotable insulative panels over the vertical exterior walls of the greenhouse and a retractable canopy which covers the roof of the greenhouse to thereby retain heat within the greenhouse.
To assist in directing sunlight into the interior of the greenhouse a variety of mechanisms have been used. For example, the greenhouse disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,784 may be attached to a balcony of an apartment. Since all balconies may not be oriented to properly take advantage of the optimum sunlight conditions for plant growth, a reflector panel is provided which aids in directing sunlight into the enclosure of the greenhouse. Similarly, the greenhouse disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,259 includes a roof whose incline may be adjusted and a screen which may be used to control the amount of sunlight directed toward the interior of the greenhouse. U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,444 discloses a solar building with a roof that may be adjusted to optimize the solar collection panel on the roof.
It is desirable to provide a greenhouse which is able to optimize the amount of sunlight required for the growth of the plants therein as well to retain the heat within the greenhouse according to prescribed optimum conditions for the types of plants within the greenhouse. Such a greenhouse may require a supplemental heating and/or cooling system, depending on the climate and the weather at a particular installation.
As previously mentioned, it is known to place conventional heating and/or cooling systems within the interior of a gre
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Carone Michael J.
Downs Joanne C.
McColliberry Farms, Inc.
Overhauser Paul B.
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