초록 ▼

A hydroponic growing system including a nutrient reservoir and a planting tray having a perimeter air channel for floating on a liquid in the reservoir. A continuous planting trough is included in the planting tray for growing multiple plants in an un-segmented arrangement which is defined by a seri

A hydroponic growing system including a nutrient reservoir and a planting tray having a perimeter air channel for floating on a liquid in the reservoir. A continuous planting trough is included in the planting tray for growing multiple plants in an un-segmented arrangement which is defined by a series of laterally spaced support arms extending across and underneath an opening in a support plate for carrying plant growth materials. The planting tray floats in the reservoir so that a majority of the planting trough is disposed above the liquid in the reservoir to allow for lateral air root growth. A flexible flange is carrier around the perimeter of the planting tray engaging the reservoir to form a light barrier between the planting tray and the reservoir. An air line passes into the reservoir which is connected to an air pump for introducing air into the liquid in the reservoir.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A hydroponic growing system, comprising: a nutrient reservoir for holding a liquid plant nutrient solution;a planting tray disposed in said reservoir adapted for floating at the surface of said liquid plant nutrient solution;an air channel included in said planting tray extending around a perimet

1. A hydroponic growing system, comprising: a nutrient reservoir for holding a liquid plant nutrient solution;a planting tray disposed in said reservoir adapted for floating at the surface of said liquid plant nutrient solution;an air channel included in said planting tray extending around a perimeter of said planting tray, said air channel defined by a series of outer walls laterally spaced from a series of inner walls with opposing inner and outer walls being interconnected by a top wall so that air entering from a bottom side between said inner and outer walls is trapped in said air channel to facilitate floating of said planting tray;a support plate included in said planting tray carried by said inner walls;a planting trough defined by a continuous opening extending generally along the entire length of said support plate and having a series of laterally spaced support arms extending across and underneath said opening for supporting plant growth materials, wherein said planting tray floats on said liquid plant nutrient solution so that a bottom arm portion of said support arms is disposed generally at and in contact with the surface of said liquid plant nutrient solution to allow for lateral air root growth in said planting trough above the surface of said liquid plant nutrient solution; and,a flexible flange extending laterally outward from said outer walls around said perimeter of said planting tray, wherein said flange engages sidewalls of said nutrient reservoir to form a light barrier between said planting tray and said reservoir sidewalls. 2. The hydroponic growing system of claim 1 including a first raised lip extending along said support plate adjacent a first side of said opening of said planting trough, and a second raised lip extending along said support plate adjacent a second side of said opening opposite said first side. 3. The hydroponic growing system of claim 2 including a trough cover carried by said support plate covering at least a portion of said opening to block unwanted light entry through said planting trough into said nutrient reservoir. 4. The hydroponic growing system of claim 3 wherein said trough cover includes a first securing flange engaging said first raised lip and a second securing flange engaging said second raised lip to hold said trough cover in position over said planting trough. 5. The hydroponic growing system of claim 1 wherein said support arms of said planting trough each include a first side arm portion and a second side arm portion extending downward from said support plate on opposing sides of said opening, and a bottom arm portion extending generally horizontally interconnecting said first and second side arm portions. 6. The hydroponic growing system of claim 5 wherein said first side arm portion and said second side arm portion are each angled inward toward each other within a range of about 20° to 0° to facilitate lateral air root growth of a plant into said plant growth material lining said planting trough. 7. The hydroponic growing system of claim 1 including an access port disposed in said support plate for accessing the interior of said nutrient reservoir through said planting tray during plant growth. 8. The hydroponic growing system of claim 1 including an overflow port disposed in at least one of said sidewalls of said nutrient reservoir so that excess liquid can exit said reservoir when reaching a designated level so that said planting tray avoids rising to a level in which said flexible flange rises above and disengages from said sidewalls of said nutrient reservoir. 9. The hydroponic growing system of claim 1 including a plurality of chamber walls disposed in said air channel dividing said air channel into a series of chambers to resist the shifting of air through said air channel and facilitate level floatation of said planting tray. 10. The system of claim 1 wherein said sidewalls of said nutrient reservoir are angled inward toward each other so that said nutrient reservoir is wider at the top than the bottom, and wherein said flexible flange bends to accommodate the inward angle of said sidewalls so that said planting tray lowers with the liquid level in said nutrient reservoir while maintain said light barrier between said planting tray and said nutrient reservoir sidewalls. 11. The system of claim 1 wherein said flexible flange tapers from a base adjacent said outer walls of said planting tray to a distal end engaging said sidewalls of said reservoir. 12. The system of claim 1 including an air line passing through a sidewall of said nutrient reservoir connected to an air pump for introducing air into said liquid plant nutrient solution. 13. The system of claim 12 including an air diffuser disposed at a distal end of said air line in said nutrient reservoir to facilitate the production of uniform small bubbles to oxygenate said liquid plant nutrient solution. 14. A planting tray for a hydroponic growth system, said planting tray comprising: a series of walls defining a perimeter air channel to facilitate floating of said planting tray on a liquid plant nutrient solution;a series of laterally spaced support arms extending across and underneath an opening in a support plate carried interior to said perimeter air channel and defining a continuous planting trough for supporting plant growth materials;a flexible flange extending laterally outward from said walls defining said perimeter air channel for engaging sidewalls of a nutrient reservoir to form a light barrier between said planting tray and said nutrient reservoir when floating on the liquid plant nutrient solution; and,a plurality of chamber walls disposed in said air channel dividing said air channel into a series of chambers to resist the shifting of air through said air channel and facilitate level floatation of said planting tray. 15. The hydroponic growing system of claim 14 including a trough cover disposed over at least a portion of said planting trough to block unwanted light entry through said planting trough into said nutrient reservoir. 16. The hydroponic growing system of claim 14 wherein said support arms of said planting trough each include a first side arm portion and a second side arm portion extending downward from said support plate on opposing sides of said opening, and a bottom arm portion interconnecting said first and second side arm portions. 17. The hydroponic growing system of claim 16 wherein said first side arm and said second side arm each angled inward toward each other so that said planting trough is more narrow at said bottom arm portion than at said opening. 18. A hydroponic growing system, comprising: a nutrient reservoir;a planting tray having a perimeter air channel for floating on a liquid in said reservoir;a continuous planting trough included in said planting tray for growing multiple plants in an un-segmented arrangement defined by a series of laterally spaced support arms extending across and underneath an opening in a support plate for carrying plant growth materials, wherein said planting tray floats in said reservoir so that a majority of said planting trough is disposed above said liquid in said reservoir to allow for lateral air root growth; and,a flexible flange carrier around the perimeter of said planting tray engaging said reservoir to form a light barrier between said planting tray and said reservoir. 19. The system of claim 18 including an air line passing into said reservoir connected to an air pump for introducing air into said liquid in said reservoir.