초록 ▼

A system and method of aeroponic farming includes depositing seeds in a flat containing micro-fleece cloth and placing the flat within a growth chamber. The upper side of the flat is subjected to light of the proper frequencies to promote growth in plants. A nutrient solution is sprayed onto the mic

A system and method of aeroponic farming includes depositing seeds in a flat containing micro-fleece cloth and placing the flat within a growth chamber. The upper side of the flat is subjected to light of the proper frequencies to promote growth in plants. A nutrient solution is sprayed onto the micro-fleece cloth and the developing root mass of the plants, while controlling temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide within the growth chamber. The plants are harvested resulting from the seeds at a desired stage of growth. The growth chambers can be stacked on each other and/or located side by side to save space within a facility, and to permit sharing the subsystems which control the nutrient solution, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide for the growth chambers.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of aeroponic farming, comprising: providing a growth chamber configured and dimensioned to receive at least one cloth material;providing the at least one cloth material;depositing seeds on the at least one cloth material, said at least one cloth material functioning to support the seeds

1. A method of aeroponic farming, comprising: providing a growth chamber configured and dimensioned to receive at least one cloth material;providing the at least one cloth material;depositing seeds on the at least one cloth material, said at least one cloth material functioning to support the seeds thereon;subjecting an upper surface of the at least one cloth material to light of the proper frequencies in the growth chamber to promote photosynthesis in plants; andspraying a nutrient solution onto the at least one cloth material and a developing root mass of the plants in the growth chamber, wherein the at least one cloth material absorbs the nutrient solution to establish an available source of nutrient solution to promote growth of the seeds and plants. 2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling temperature and humidity within the growth chamber, and harvesting the plants resulting from the seeds at a desired stage of growth. 3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising controlling the carbon dioxide level within the growth chamber. 4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising covering the deposited seeds to immerse the seeds in a moist environment for a time period sufficient for the seeds to germinate. 5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising adjusting a distance between the light and the at least one cloth material. 6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically moving the at least one cloth material through the growth chamber. 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the growth chamber includes a plurality of zones, and the method further comprises: independently adjusting an amount of growth light within each zone; and independently adjusting an amount of nutrient solution sprayed within each zone. 8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically seeding the at least one cloth material with seeds, and automatically harvesting resulting plants from the at least one cloth material. 9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cloth material includes first and second cloth materials, the method further comprising connecting the first and second cloth materials together such that nutrient solution sprayed onto the lower surface of the cloth materials does not enter a part of the growth chamber that is between the cloth materials and a top surface of the growth chamber. 10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising circulating air through the growth chamber, and filtering air with a screen when the air is received from outside the growth chamber. 11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising reflecting light within the growth chamber. 12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises a pilled surface. 13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the subjecting the upper surface to light comprises subjecting the upper surface of the at least one cloth material exposed to the air to the light, and the spraying the nutrient solution comprises spraying onto the bottom surface of the at least one cloth material exposed to air to the nutrient solution, and wherein the plants are generally solely supported by the at least one cloth material. 14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises a fleece cloth. 15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises a micro-fleece cloth. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises non-organic fibers. 17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cloth comprise a woven fabric. 18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plants comprise at least one of leafy greens and salad greens. 19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plants comprise salad greens. 20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plants comprise leafy greens. 21. The method according to claim 1, further comprising attaching at least some of the edges of the at least one cloth material from a support. 22. The method according to claim 1, further comprising releasably attaching at least some of the edges of the at least one cloth material from a support. 23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising supporting the at least one cloth material above a tray. 24. A method according to claim 1, further comprising circulating air through the growth chamber. 25. A method according to claim 1, further comprising collecting excess nutrient solution for reuse. 26. A method according to claim 1, further comprising recirculating the collected excess nutrient solution. 27. A method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling the humidity and heat of the atmosphere within the growth chamber. 28. A method according to claim 1, further comprising circulating air over the light means to provide an air-cooled lighting system, and wherein the means for circulating air through the chamber is independent from the means for circulating air over the light means. 29. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises a dimension of about fifty-seven inches. 30. A method for aeroponically growing plants, the method comprising: depositing seeds on an upper surface of at least one cloth material, said at least one cloth material functioning to support the seeds thereon;growing the seeds on the upper surface of the at least one cloth material, the at least one cloth material operable to allow roots to grow through the at least one cloth material and extend downwardly from a lower surface of the at least one cloth material, operable to support plants upright above the upper surface of the at least one cloth material, operable to inhibit the spray of nutrient solution from passing directly through the at least one cloth material and reaching the growing plants disposed above the upper surface of the at least one cloth material, and operable to inhibit the amount of light passing through the at least one cloth material and reaching the roots;directing light at least one of onto and above the upper surface of the at least one cloth material to aid in growing the plants on the at least one cloth material;spraying a nutrient solution below the lower surface of the at least one cloth material and onto the roots of the plants extending downwardly from the lower surface of the at least one cloth material, wherein the at least one cloth material absorbs the nutrient solution to establish an available source of nutrient solution to promote growth of the seeds and plants; andharvesting the plants grown on the upper surface of the at least one cloth material. 31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises a pilled surface. 32. A method according to claim 30, wherein the upper surface of the at least one cloth material is exposed to the air when directing the light, and the lower surface is exposed to air and spraying the nutrient solution, and wherein the plants are generally solely supported by the at least one cloth material. 33. A method according to claim 30, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises fleece cloth. 34. A method according to claim 30, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises a micro-fleece cloth. 35. The method according to claim 30, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises non-organic fibers. 36. The method according to claim 30, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises a woven fabric. 37. The method according to claim 30, further comprising moving the at least one cloth material containing the growing plants through a chamber. 38. The method according to claim 30, further comprising moving the at least one cloth material containing the growing plants through a chamber from a first end to a second end of the chamber, and wherein the directing comprises directing light as the plants move from the first end to the second end of the chamber, and the spraying comprises spraying the nutrient solution as the plants move from the first end to the second end of the chamber. 39. The method according to claim 30, wherein the plants comprise at least one of leafy greens and salad greens. 40. The method according to claim 30, wherein the plants comprise salad greens. 41. The method according to claim 30, wherein the plants comprise leafy greens. 42. The method according to claim 30, further comprising attaching at least some of the edges of the at least one cloth material from a support. 43. The method according to claim 29, further comprising releasably attaching at least some of the edges of the at least one cloth material from a support. 44. The method according to claim 30, wherein the growing the seeds on the upper surface of the at least one cloth material comprises growing the plurality of seeds on the upper surface of a generally horizontally disposed at least one cloth material. 45. The method according to claim 30, further comprising supporting the at least one cloth material above a tray. 46. The method according to claim 30, wherein the at least one cloth material comprises a dimension of about fifty-seven inches. 47. A method for aeroponically growing plants, the method comprising: depositing seeds on an upper surface of at least one cloth material, said at least one cloth material functioning to support the seeds thereon;growing the seeds on the upper surface of the at least one cloth material, the at least one cloth material operable to allow roots to grow through the at least one cloth material and extend downwardly from a lower surface of the at least one cloth material, operable to support plants upright above the upper surface of the at least one cloth material, operable to inhibit the spray of nutrient solution from passing directly through the at least one cloth material and reaching the growing plants disposed above the upper surface of the at least one cloth material, and operable to inhibit the amount of light passing through the at least one cloth material and reaching the roots;directing light at least one of onto and above the upper surface of the at least one cloth material exposed to air to aid in growing the plants on the at least one cloth material;spraying a nutrient solution below the lower surface of the at least one cloth material exposed to air and onto the roots of the plants extending downwardly from the lower surface of the at least one cloth material, wherein the at least one cloth material absorbs the nutrient solution to establish an available source of nutrient solution to promote growth of the seeds and plants; andharvesting the plants grown on the upper surface of the at least one cloth material. 48. The method according to claim 47, further comprising moving the at least one cloth material containing the growing plants through a chamber from a first end to a second end of the chamber, and wherein the directing comprises directing light as the plants move from the first end to the second end of the chamber, and the spraying comprises spraying the nutrient solution as the plants move from the first end to the second end of the chamber. 49. The method according to claim 47, wherein the plants comprise at least one of leafy greens and salad greens. 50. The method according to claim 47, further comprising releasably attaching at least some of the edges of the at least one cloth material from a support.