US 12,446,502 B2
Grow tower alignment mechanism
Mark Cuson, Los Altos, CA (US); Tamara Tahir Hasoon, Redwood City, CA (US); Michael Peter Flynn, Palo Alto, CA (US); Aidan Patrick Barry, St. Thomas (CA); Charles Dylan Karr, San Francisco, CA (US); and Frank Spiteri, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to MJNN LLC, South San Francisco, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/607,881
Filed by MJNN LLC, South San Francisco, CA (US)
PCT Filed May 6, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/031701
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 30, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/231706, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 19, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/847,257, filed on May 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0225588 A1, Jul. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. A01G 31/06 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01)
CPC A01G 31/06 (2013.01) [B25J 9/1687 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a grow tower having a plurality of grow sites along at least one lateral face thereof, the grow tower having a track-contacting face, wherein the track-contacting face has a first cross-section profile extending along a length of the grow tower;
a track having an alignment feature extending along the track and having a second cross-section profile that is configured to engage the first cross-section profile of the track-contacting face,
wherein the track comprises a central bearing track and first and second lateral alignment bars extending along opposing sides of the central bearing track;
one or more engagement actuators disposed to apply a force to the grow tower in a direction perpendicular to the track-contacting face and releasably press the track-contacting face of the grow tower against the track to register the length of the grow tower against the alignment feature; and
a second bearing track substantially parallel to the track and located on a face of the grow tower opposite the track contacting face, wherein the second bearing track is adapted to guide the grow tower as it translates along the track and the second bearing track.