US4771572A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for culturing plants
Assignee: SAKEN Co Ltd 19-38 KOZASA 4-CHOME
•
Filing: 1986-05-15
•
Granted: 1988-09-20
•
Expires: 2006-05-15
Abstract
Abstract Improved method and apparatus for plant culture, particularly in arid regions. A culture bed is defined by moisture-proof walls and is charged with soil. Pipes disposed at the bottom of the culture bed supply moisture to plants growing therein, the amount of moisture being controlled to maintain the upper boundary of the capillary penetration zone a distance below the soil surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Teruo Higa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 03:09
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01G; A01G25/00; A01G25/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S47/00; Y10S47/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for culturing plants, comprising the steps of: providing a culture bed having means for containing moisture and being filled with soil; planting said plants in said soil; introducing moisture into said culture bed through pipe means buried in said culture bed; controlling the level of capillary penetration of said moisture such that said moisture penetrates the entirety of said culture bed prior to germination of said plants and penetrates a preselected distance below ground level subsequent to germination of said plants; and leaching accumulated salts from said culture bed at predetermined intervals, including the steps of flowing a fluid containing a desalting compound and water through said pipe means into said culture bed, in a quantity sufficient to form a salt concentration zone at the surface of said soil; and removing said salt concentration zone.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
137 words
A method for culturing plants, comprising the steps of: providing a culture bed having means for containing moisture and being filled with soil; planting said plants in said soil; introducing moisture into said culture bed through pipe means buried in said culture bed; controlling the level of capillary penetration of said moisture such that said moisture penetrates the entirety of said culture bed prior to germination of said plants and penetrates a preselected distance below ground level subsequent to germination of said plants; and leaching accumulated salts from said culture bed at predetermined intervals, including the steps of flowing a fluid containing a desalting compound and water through said pipe means into said culture bed, in a quantity sufficient to form a salt concentration zone at the surface of said soil; and removing said salt concentration zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said plants are seedlings.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said plants are planted as seeds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said leaching step further includes the step of: adding soil to said culture bed in an amount sufficient substantially to replace said soil removed in said removing step.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US728088A
Cited
US1876888A
Cited
US2545717A
Cited
GB652000A
Cited
FR1182928A
Cited
US3309875A
Cited
US3518831A
Cited
US3603034A
Cited
DE1960937A1
Cited
US3990181A
Cited
US3757469A
Cited
US3946762A
Cited
NL7410419A
Cited
DE2645995A1
Cited
US4117685A
Cited
US4188154A
Cited
US4142325A
Cited
US4267993A
Cited
US4235561A
Cited
SU1028280A1
Cited
SU881190A1
Cited
US4572706A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-09-20 | 1992-03-21 | 1992-09-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-09-20 | 1996-03-21 | 1996-09-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-09-20 | 2000-03-21 | 2000-09-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |