US4577435A — Micro-climate temperature control apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 129 words

In a micro-climate temperature control apparatus for heating or cooling of plants including input manifold means, outlet manifold means, and an array of a plurality of heat transfer fluid conveying tubes each coupled to said input manifold means and said outlet manifold means for the flow of a heat transfer fluid therethrough, said tubes being formed of a flexible self-supporting plastic material, adjacent tubes in said array being relatively spaced apart and said tubes being positioned adjacent to growing plants, and said tubes being independently movable over substantially the entire lengths thereof, the improvement in said micro-climate temperature control apparatus comprising: elongated securement strip formed with a plurality of side-by-side tube receiving and retaining notches formed for and having said tubes removably mounted in press-fit relation in said notches.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 129 words

In a micro-climate temperature control apparatus for heating or cooling of plants including input manifold means, outlet manifold means, and an array of a plurality of heat transfer fluid conveying tubes each coupled to said input manifold means and said outlet manifold means for the flow of a heat transfer fluid therethrough, said tubes being formed of a flexible self-supporting plastic material, adjacent tubes in said array being relatively spaced apart and said tubes being positioned adjacent to growing plants, and said tubes being independently movable over substantially the entire lengths thereof, the improvement in said micro-climate temperature control apparatus comprising: elongated securement strip formed with a plurality of side-by-side tube receiving and retaining notches formed for and having said tubes removably mounted in press-fit relation in said notches.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 31 words

The micro-climate temperature control apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein, said strip is formed of a flexible material and is further formed for universal flexure about three mutually perpendicular axes.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

The micro-climate temperature control apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein, said strip includes slot means formed for securement of said strip to a support surface and formed to enable lateral flexure of said strip about a vertical axis.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 49 words

The micro-climate temperature control apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein, said notches are each defined by an outwardly facing mouth portion converging to a throat portion having a width dimension less than the diameter of said tubes and an enlarged socket portion dimensioned to receive said tubes therein.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 74 words

The micro-climate temperature control apparatus as defined in claim 1, and said manifold means each have an overall length less than the width dimension of said array, securement strip means secured to a support surface and formed to extend across substantially the entire width of said array proximate said manifold means, and said tubes being laterally spread between said manifold means and said securement strip and secured in and mounted to said securement strip.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 119 words

A micro-climate temperature control apparatus for the heating or cooling of plants including input manifold means, outlet manifold means, and an array of a plurality of heat transfer fluid conveying tubes each coupled to said input manifold means and said outlet manifold means for the flow of heat transfer fluid therethrough, wherein the improvement in said apparatus comprises: securement strip means formed with a plurality of side-by-side tube receiving and retaining notches, said tubes being formed of a flexible self-supporting plastic material and being independently movable and positioned in relatively spaced apart relation over substantially their entire lengths and being removably mounted to said strip means and retained in spaced apart relation by said notches in said strip means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 119 words

A micro-climate temperature control apparatus for the heating or cooling of plants including input manifold means, outlet manifold means, and an array of a plurality of heat transfer fluid conveying tubes each coupled to said input manifold means and said outlet manifold means for the flow of heat transfer fluid therethrough, wherein the improvement in said apparatus comprises: securement strip means formed with a plurality of side-by-side tube receiving and retaining notches, said tubes being formed of a flexible self-supporting plastic material and being independently movable and positioned in relatively spaced apart relation over substantially their entire lengths and being removably mounted to said strip means and retained in spaced apart relation by said notches in said strip means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 32 words

The micro-climate temperature control apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein, said securement strip means is formed of a flexible material and is formed for universal flexure about three mutually perpendicular axes.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 66 words

The micro-climate temperature control apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein, said securement strip means is formed with a T-shaped cross-section with the upstanding flange of said securement strip means being formed with said notches and laterally extending flanges on either side of said upstanding flange being formed with openings therein dimensioned to receive fasteners for securement of said securement strip means to a support surface.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 61 words

The micro-climate temperature control apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein, said notches are each defined by an outwardly facing mouth portion converging to a throat portion having width dimension less than the diameter of said tubes, and said notches further include an enlarged socket portion inwardly of said throat portion dimensioned to have substantially the same diameter as said tubes.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 103 words

The micro-climate temperature control apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein, said array has a width dimension equal to the sum of the lateral spacing between said tubes, said input manifold means and said outlet manifold means both along said width dimension proximate an end of said array a distance substantially less than said width dimension of said array, said strip means extends transverse of said tubes along said width dimension a distance substantially equal to said width dimension, and said tubes are framed-out laterally from said input manifold means and said outlet manifold means to the full width dimension of said array.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1989-03-24	1989-09-23	1990-03-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1993-03-24	1993-09-23	1994-03-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1997-03-24	1997-09-23	1998-03-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Micro-climate temperature control apparatus

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