Patent US4411101A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4411101A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus and method for heating the root zone of plants

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-08-17
•
Granted: 1983-10-25
•
Expires: 2001-08-17
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An apparatus and method for root zone heating of plants is disclosed. The apparatus includes an array of flexible, individually movable, plastic tubes which are positioned under the plant root systems. The tubes are preferably formed of EPDM plastic enabling their use with water from geothermal and solar pond sources, as well as conventional sources.

Inventors

  • 👤 Edward A. Springer
  • 👤 Ronald D. Smith

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 17:56
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G9/00; A01G9/24; A01G9/245; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A40/00; Y02A40/10; Y02A40/25

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim 142 words
Apparatus for root zone heating of plants comprising: input manifold means, outlet manifold means, and an array of fluid conveying heating tubes each coupled to said input manifold means and said outlet manifold means for the flow of a heating fluid therethrough, said tubes being substantially cylindrical and being formed of a flexible self-supporting elastomeric terpolymer of ethylene, propylene and diene monomer, adjacent tubes in said array being relatively spaced apart by a distance between about 2.5 centimeters and about 7.6 centimeters over substantially the entire lengths of said tubes and said tubes being positioned adjacent to growing plants, said tubes being independently movable over substantially the entire lengths thereof, and at least some of said tubes in said array being displaced from said array to a position above said array to provide for heating of the air space proximate said plants.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 142 words
Apparatus for root zone heating of plants comprising: input manifold means, outlet manifold means, and an array of fluid conveying heating tubes each coupled to said input manifold means and said outlet manifold means for the flow of a heating fluid therethrough, said tubes being substantially cylindrical and being formed of a flexible self-supporting elastomeric terpolymer of ethylene, propylene and diene monomer, adjacent tubes in said array being relatively spaced apart by a distance between about 2.5 centimeters and about 7.6 centimeters over substantially the entire lengths of said tubes and said tubes being positioned adjacent to growing plants, said tubes being independently movable over substantially the entire lengths thereof, and at least some of said tubes in said array being displaced from said array to a position above said array to provide for heating of the air space proximate said plants.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3470943A Cited
US3521699A Cited
US3727345A Cited
US3893507A Cited
US3863710A Cited
US4159595A Cited
US4112921A Cited
US4112921B1 Cited
US4270596A Cited
US4270596B1 Cited
GB2060341A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-10-24 1987-04-25 1987-10-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-10-24 1991-04-25 1991-10-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-10-24 1995-04-25 1995-10-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag