US 12,004,459 B2
High density mobile plant cultivation system
Kenneth Durfee, Janesville, WI (US); Sean Krause, Fort Atkinson, WI (US); and Alexander R. Tyink, Appleton, WI (US)
Assigned to Spacesaver Corporation, Fort Atkinson, WI (US); and Fork Farms Holdings, LLC, Green Bay, WI (US)
Filed by Spacesaver Corporation, Fort Atkinson, WI (US); and Fork Farms Holdings, LLC, Appleton, WI (US)
Filed on Nov. 12, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/681,210.
Prior Publication US 2021/0137026 A1, May 13, 2021
Int. Cl. A01G 9/24 (2006.01); A01G 9/02 (2018.01); B65G 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC A01G 9/249 (2019.05) [A01G 9/023 (2013.01); B65G 1/10 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for cultivating a plurality of plants, the system comprising:
a plurality of mobile racks each supported on a floor and independently movable relative to each other along the floor, each of the mobile racks being configured to receive and support a planting structure adapted to receive a plurality of plants, wherein each of the plurality of mobile racks includes a rack frame and is movable only along a single movement axis, such that the plurality of mobile racks are only movable toward and away from each other along the single movement axis;
an overhead lighting track supported above the plurality of mobile racks such that the plurality of mobile racks are movable beneath the overhead lighting track; and
a lighting assembly supported by and extending below the overhead lighting track and moveable along the overhead lighting track, wherein the lighting assembly is located between a pair of the mobile racks and is movable along the overhead lighting track only along the single movement axis, wherein movement of the lighting assembly along the single movement axis is independent of the movement of the mobile racks along the floor, the lighting assembly including a lighting frame supported for movement along the overhead lighting track by a plurality of trolleys that are each movable along the overhead lighting track, each trolley including at least one bumper that extends laterally outward past the lighting frame, wherein the lighting frame supports at least one lighting fixture operable to create a source of light directed at the plurality of plants,
wherein each of the mobile racks is movable along the floor such that an upper end of the mobile rack contacts only the bumpers on the plurality of trolleys of the lighting assembly to move the lighting assembly along the overhead lighting track and along the single movement axis along with the movement of the mobile racks along the single movement axis to adjust the position of the lighting assembly relative to at least one of the mobile racks.