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US3757470A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus for hydroponic cultivation utilizing cation exchanger

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-12-03
•
Granted: 1973-09-11
•
Expires: 1991-12-03
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Abstract

Abstract An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation of plants based on the principle of establishing contact between the root of a plant suspended and held in position and a screen having cation exchangeability, supplying nutrient solution to the screen allowing the nutrient solution to flow down along the screen while ensuring sufficient contact of the root with the nutrient solution and air, allowing the iron component in the nutrient solution to be absorbed by the screen in the form of ions through cation exchange so as to prevent the shortage of iron compound supply for the plant, thereby preventing the decay of the root and ensuring the sufficient supply of iron component to the root.

Inventors

  • 👤 T Shimamoto
  • 👤 Y Kato

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 07:41
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G31/00; A01G31/02; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P60/00; Y02P60/20; Y02P60/21

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 19 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 1, wherein said screen member also has anion exchangeability.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 31 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 1, further comprising power driven liquid lifting pump means for supplying collected nutrient-containing liquid to said means for feeding nutrient-containing liquid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 248 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for holding said screen member comprises a plate bent substantially in U-shape to provide said two inwardly facing surfaces, its bent portion being positioned lowermost; wherein said resilient force applying means comprises two sponges positioned on each of said two inwardly facing surfaces of said plate, said bent portion of said plate being positioned below said sponges and said sponges being in contact with said screen member; wherein said means for feeding nutrient-containing liquid comprises two perforated tubular members positioned substantially horizontally on each of said two inwardly facing surfaces of said plate remote from said bent portion thereof and a pump for delivering liquid to said tubular members, said perforations in said tubular members being arranged in an axial direction for allowing the nutrient-containing liquid to flow out, upper edge portions of said screen member being held between said tubular members and said plate, and said screen member being suspended in space between said two inner surfaces of said plate and itself being bent substantially in U-shape; and wherein said means for collecting the nutrient-containing liquid comprises a trough defined by said bent portion of said plate which receives the nutrient-containing liquid which has flowed down along said screen member and a storage tank for receiving the nutrient-containing liquid from said trough, said pump means lifting the liquid to said storage tank and said tubular members being in contact with said storage tank.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 46 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 4, wherein said plate includes at its oppositely disposed upper edges rebent portions for holding said tubular members therein, and said screen member includes portions which are held in said rebent portions by said tubular members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 26 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 4, wherein said screen member is in intimate contact with said perforations in said tubulAr members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 28 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 4, wherein said plate is flexible and includes upper edge portions which move transversely as the plants grow.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 56 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 4, wherein said tubular members are coupled to said storage tank by flexible conduit means, and wherein said means for supporting said means for holding constitutes means for adjustably supporting said plate means, said plate means being vertically movable with respect to said means for supporting.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 1, wherein said screen member comprises a water-permeable sheet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 23 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 1, wherein said screen member has a surface active wetting agent applied thereto.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 1, wherein said screen member comprises a water-impermeable sheet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 1, wherein said screen member has a napped surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
An apparatus for hydroponic cultivation as set forth in claim 1, wherein said nutrient-containing liquid comprises a nutrient containing solution.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

SU183529A1 Cited
US2026322A Cited
US2270518A Cited
US3082074A Cited
US2988441A Cited
NL7014511A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-09-10 1977-03-12 1977-09-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-09-10 1981-03-12 1981-09-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-09-10 1985-03-12 1985-09-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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