US 12,225,859 B2
Farming system
Mark Vanacore, Arlington, MA (US); Ahmad Zameli, Cambridge, MA (US); and Jonathan Toll, Medford, MA (US)
Assigned to Evergreens, LLC, Hudson, MA (US)
Filed by Evergreens, LLC, Hudson, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/492,074.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/094,276, filed on Oct. 20, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0117177 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. A01G 31/02 (2006.01); A01G 9/02 (2018.01)
CPC A01G 31/02 (2013.01) [A01G 9/02 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for growing crops, comprising:
a container;
a hydroponic irrigation zone arranged to provide hydroponic irrigation to a first portion of a root zone of a crop wherein the first portion of the root zone is partially submerged in the hydroponic irrigation zone;
an aeroponic irrigation zone arranged to provide aeroponic irrigation to a second portion of the root zone at the same time that the hydroponic irrigation zone provides hydroponic irrigation to the first portion of the root zone of the crop;
a conveyor configured to move the container through the hydroponic irrigation zone and the aeroponic irrigation zone;
an irrigation manifold separate from and not connected to the container;
a plurality of raised ridges at a bottom of the container, wherein a shape of the bottom of the container corresponds to a shape of the conveyor and to the irrigation manifold so that the conveyor may pass by the irrigation manifold;
a plurality of oval holes within the plurality of raised ridges at the bottom of the container;
a plurality of nozzles separate from the container positioned near corresponding ones of the plurality of oval holes for receiving mist to provide the aeroponic irrigation wherein the plurality of oval holes within the plurality of raised ridges at the bottom of the container are large enough to accommodate a size of the plurality of nozzles and small enough to prevent roots of the crop from protruding from the container and being damaged during movement of the container on the conveyor, wherein the plurality of nozzles are separate from and not connected to the container;
a plurality of automatically actuated removable plugs corresponding to the plurality of oval holes for selectively draining water from the container, the plurality of removable plugs having a corresponding plurality of doors or slides; and
a substantially flat growing surface having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, the first side arranged to receive one or more seeds and the second side arranged to receive the mist of the aeroponic irrigation, wherein the substantially flat growing surface comprises a material secured at or near the top of the container, the material comprising a fabric comprising one or more of bamboo fiber, felt, burlap, biostrate, Rockwoll, and coco coir.