Patent US4034506A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4034506A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hydroponic method using a porous foam plate, and a container used therewith
Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corp
•
Filing: 1976-04-30
•
Granted: 1977-07-12
•
Expires: 1996-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A hydroponic container comprising a casing and a porous foam plate disposed on the surface of water contained in the casing, the porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed resin beads bonded to one another with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads, and a hydroponic method which comprises disposing a porous foam plate on the surface of water containing nutrients, the porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed resin beads bonded to one another with water permeable spaces among adjacent beads, and cultivating a plant on the porous foam plate.
Inventors
- 👤 Tomio Kasahara
- 👤 Tomotaro Makita
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 12:27
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G24/00; A01G24/40; A01G24/48; A01G24/30; A01G24/44
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A hydroponic container comprising a casing and a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter disposed on the surface of water contained in said casing, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
A hydroponic container comprising a casing and a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter disposed on the surface of water contained in said casing, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The hydroponic container of claim 1 wherein the porous foam plate consists of an aggregate of foamed polystyrene or polyethylene beads having a density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter and a diameter of about 2 to about 20 mm which are bonded to one another.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The hydroponic container of claim 1 wherein the liquid adhesive is selected from the group consisting of an acrylic emulsion and an asphalt emulsion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The hydroponic container of claim 3 wherein the acrylic emulsion is an acrylic butyl ester-styrene-itaconic acid copolymer emulsion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
128 words
A hydroponic container comprising a casing and a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter disposed on the surface of water contained in said casing, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads and having foamed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
128 words
A hydroponic container comprising a casing and a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter disposed on the surface of water contained in said casing, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads and having foamed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The hydroponic container of claim 5 wherein the porous foam plate consists of an aggregate of foamed polystyrene or polyethylene beads hving a density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter and a diameter of about 2 to 20 mm which are bonded to one another.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The hydroponic container of claim 5 wherein the water-retaining substance is at least one substance selected from the group consisting of perlite, vermiculite, lava sand, pumice sand, volcanic ashes, characoal, leaf mold, sphagna, or peat, either alone or in admixture.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The hydroponic container of claim 5 wherein the liquid adhesive is selected from the group consisting of an acrylic emulsion and an asphalt emulsion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The hydroponic container of claim 8 wherein the acrylic emulsion is an acrylic butyl ester-styrene-itaconic acid copolymer emulsion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
122 words
A hydroponic method which comprises disposing a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter on the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with water-permeable spaces among adjacent beads; and cultivating a plant on the porous foam plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
122 words
A hydroponic method which comprises disposing a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter on the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with water-permeable spaces among adjacent beads; and cultivating a plant on the porous foam plate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
139 words
A hydroponic method which comprises disposing a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter on the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads and having formed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance; and sowing seeds of a plant in the water-retaining substance in each of the recesses.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
139 words
A hydroponic method which comprises disposing a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter on the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads and having formed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance; and sowing seeds of a plant in the water-retaining substance in each of the recesses.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
135 words
A hydroponic method which comprises disposing a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter on the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads and having formed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance; and inserting cuttings or transplanting seedlings in each of the recesses.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
135 words
A hydroponic method which comprises disposing a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter on the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads and having formed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance; and inserting cuttings or transplanting seedlings in each of the recesses.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
145 words
A hydroponic container comprising a casing and a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter supported by means of supporting means provided on the inner wall of said casing to maintain the bottom of the porous foam plate at a certain predetermined distance from the surface of water contained in said casing, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
145 words
A hydroponic container comprising a casing and a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter supported by means of supporting means provided on the inner wall of said casing to maintain the bottom of the porous foam plate at a certain predetermined distance from the surface of water contained in said casing, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
155 words
A hydroponic container comprising a casing and a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter supported by means of supporting means provided on the inner wall of said casing to maintain the bottom of the porous foam plate at a certain predetermined distance from the surface of water combined in said casing, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads and having foamed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
155 words
A hydroponic container comprising a casing and a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter supported by means of supporting means provided on the inner wall of said casing to maintain the bottom of the porous foam plate at a certain predetermined distance from the surface of water combined in said casing, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads and having foamed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
127 words
A hydroponic method which comprises maintaining a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter at a certain predetermined distance from the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with water-permeable spaces among adjacent beads; and cultivating a plant on the porous foam plate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
127 words
A hydroponic method which comprises maintaining a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter at a certain predetermined distance from the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with water-permeable spaces among adjacent beads; and cultivating a plant on the porous foam plate.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
144 words
A hydroponic method which comprises maintaining a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter at a certain predetermined distance from the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads and having formed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance; and sowing seeds of a plant in the water-retaining substance in each of the recesses.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
144 words
A hydroponic method which comprises maintaining a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter at a certain predetermined distance from the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adjacent beads and having formed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance; and sowing seeds of a plant in the water-retaining substance in each of the recesses.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
140 words
A hydroponic method which comprises maintaining a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter at a certain predetermined distance from the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adajacent beads and having formed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance; and inserting cuttings or transplanting seedlings in each of the recesses.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
140 words
A hydroponic method which comprises maintaining a porous about 5 to about 35 mm thick foam plate having a porosity of about 20 to about 50 percent and a bulk density of about 8 to about 50 g/liter at a certain predetermined distance from the surface of water containing nutrients, said porous foam plate consisting of an aggregate of foamed, essentially hydrophobic, substantially closed cell resin beads having been bonded to one another with a liquid adhesive of a viscosity of about 50 to about 7,000 cps at 20° C., and containing solids in an amount of about 30 to about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of the adhesive, with continuous open spaces among adajacent beads and having formed thereon recesses filled with a water-retaining substance; and inserting cuttings or transplanting seedlings in each of the recesses.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2175113A
Cited
US2713749A
Cited
JPS4316769Y1
Cited
US3608238A
Cited
GB1318736A
Cited
GB1313121A
Cited
US3798836A
Cited
US3927491A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-07-11 | 1981-01-10 | 1981-07-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-07-11 | 1985-01-10 | 1985-07-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-07-11 | 1989-01-10 | 1989-07-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |