Plant husbandry – Greenhouse – apparatus or method
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-14
2003-09-23
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Plant husbandry
Greenhouse, apparatus or method
Reexamination Certificate
active
06622425
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable
REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”
Not applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable greenhouses and more particularly to a portable, wheeled greenhouse having an improved construction that includes a frame that supports a water containing tub or reservoir that has fittings for enabling water to be piped to and from the tub. A series of movable racks is supported by the frame above the tub and at a position that suspends pots from the racks and into the tub wherein the pots may extend into water and the plants receive water via osmosis from water contained within the tub.
2. General Background of the Invention
Several patents have issued for portable greenhouse arrangements. These include the following:
PATENT
ISSUE
#
TITLE
DATE
147,849
Fountain, Aquarium, and Flower-Pot Stands
02/24/1874
3,095,670
Seed Starter and Plant Propagator
07/02/1963
3,106,801
Portable Electric Greenhouse
10/15/1963
4,045,911
Versatile Horticultural Growth Apparatus
09/06/1977
4,316,347
Portable Solar Garden
02/23/1982
4,794,727
Wheel-About Greenhouse
01/03/1989
4,850,134
Growth Chamber With Solar Energy Absorber
07/25/1989
4,899,487
Storage and Display Receptacle Assembly
02/13/1990
5,095,649
Storage Receptacle Assembly
03/17/1992
5,448,853
Plant Growing Apparatus
09/12/1995
5,570,540
Seedling House
11/05/1996
5,675,932
Plant Growing System
10/14/1997
6,029,398
Multi-Compartmentalized Plant Container
02/29/2000
The Risacher U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,801 discloses a portable electric greenhouse that includes a small receptacle having a transparent cover that fits over the receptacle.
A wheeled storage and display receptacle assembly for display and/or storage of floral items is disclosed in the Brownlee U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,487.
A wheel-about greenhouse is disclosed in the Kevin Smith U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,727. The Smith patent includes a wheeled frame. A pair of wheels are attached to the frame for wheeling the device about. A clear cover fits the upper edge of the frame.
The Harman U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,853 discloses a portable plant growing cart that can accommodate one or more plant trays thereon. The cart is constructed of rigid frames which are pivotally connected together so as to aid the storage of the cart when not in use. A movable light source is supported from the separate frames above the trays at any desired elevation. Additionally, a fabric like reflective shroud is supported over both the light source and the cart so as to reflect light back towards the plant trays when desired.
A seedling house is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,540 issued to Womack. The seedling house includes a number of shelves that have openings for receiving pots.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The portable greenhouse cart of the present invention provides a household size of greenhouse for use inside or outside the house in such as a Florida Room, screen room, patio, or in a garage or cellar. The cart provides most of the features of a free-standing greenhouse, however, in a size that may be conveniently utilized in restricted spaces, and freely moved to take advantage of natural sunlight, or, for other convenience, in moving about the inside quarters.
Fundamentally, the cart includes a watertight tub or pan mounted on wheels (such as bicycle wheels), disposed generally at one of the tray and legs (perhaps also including casters). In the inside periphery of the tub is disposed a rack (or racks) for holding seed flats, pots and the like, the rack(s) may be comprised of multiple assembleable preformed rods or slats having ends for detachable assembly into spaced holes which are set at predetermined positions coordinated such that the adjacent slats support standard sized seed flats and pots, with the rack(s) capable of being readily broken down and reassembled to accommodate different sized flats or pots.
In a preferred embodiment of assembleable racks, the slats have a projection resembling the shape of an arrowhead which may be closely and locally received into a rectangular or a round hole in an adjacent slat. Main framing slats (tray bars) may include an additional keying projection to be closely received by a notch disposed in the slat adjacent the spaced holes.
The tray or tub provides a fluid containing reservoir and is preferably adapted with a drain in the underside of the tray along with a water inlet connected to an internal watering system within the tray.
The internal watering system may include such as spaced nozzles activated by water pressure such that the dispensing nozzle rises out of the nozzle housing to spray a limited region of the tray. Watering nozzles similar to smaller lawn sprinklers are preferred.
The tray may be fitted with an overhead framework for supporting an awning like cover, preferably transparent or translucent, to enable sunlight or artificial light (from an included fixture) to flood the plants and encourage seed germination and plant growth. For further enhancing the growth properties of the cart, a low power heating coil may be disposed adjacent the cart underside to provide supplemental heating should heating be desired.
The portable greenhouse and plant cart of the present invention is engineered and designed to provide improved growth and environmental control for germination of flower, vegetable, and herb seeds. This allows for a great head start on the growing season in residential gardens. Particularly in climates with a late spring, this product is also designed to serve alternatively as a patio vegetable, herb, and flower cart garden. The portable greenhouse of the present invention can also be used in a garage or outside building for storing ferns and potted plants through winter months.
Anyone who has ever gardened agrees that there is joy in nurturing a tiny seed and watching it grow into a robust plant. The portable greenhouse of the present invention, with its controllable climates, is ideally suited for starting plants from tiny little seeds such as perennials, annuals, herbs, and vegetables.
The apparatus of the present invention features a light-weight frame that can be constructed of such as durable lightweight pipe (e.g., one (1) inch PVC) with elbows and tees to form, for example, a 2′×4′ or 4′×6′ cart with bicycle size wheels. The one (1) piece bottom pan forming the tub can be formed from hard plastic to prevent corrosion or breakage. Tray holders are preferably formed from hard plastic with adjustable spacing rods for seed flats and pot holders.
In its preferred embodiment, the portable greenhouse has water hose and electrical heat hookups, a clear plastic cover, and an adjustable light located on top of the cart. A heat cord in the bottom of the pan with temperature control would keep the cart at a consistent temperature based on ambiance. The portable greenhouse temperature controls need to be set at 70-75 degrees F. for seedling and propagating cutting; a warm 65 degrees F. for the germination of most seeds; and 80 degrees F. for tropical varieties.
The cart is preferably about thirty inches high and makes gardening easy for everyone. This is the same height as a desk, and is ideal height for sliding a chair underneath while working on plants. This height would make gardening available for the physically challenged and elderly.
For the germination of seeds each 2′×4′ cart could hold four seed flats. Each flat could hold eighteen three packs, six six packs, six nine packs, eighteen two packs, and eighteen 3½×3½″ pots. The eighteen three packs and the six nine packs could yield fifty-four plants per flat and a total of 216 plants per cart. The six six packs and the eighteen two packs could yield thirty-six plants per flat and a total of 144 per cart. The eighteen 3½″×3½″ pots could yield eighteen plants per seed flat and a total of 72 plants per cart.
The 4′×6″ cart could hol
Jordan Charles T.
Palo Francis T.
Wyatt Tarrant & Combs LLP
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