Systems and methods for moving wetted seed through a grow pod system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11032977-B2
Application number	US-201916263967-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2019
Priority date	Jan 30, 2019
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A method for pumping seeds to an assembly line grow pods includes releasing seeds to a pipe in fluid communication with a pump, moving water from a water source to the pipe in fluid communication with the pump, combining the seeds released from the tank with the water from the water source in the pipe, and pumping the combination of the seeds released from the tank and the water from the water source to a grow pod line in fluid communication with the pump, and moving the seeds from the grow pod line to one or more carts of an assembly line grow pod.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for pumping seeds to an assembly line grow pod, the method comprising:
releasing seeds to a pipe in fluid communication with a pump;
moving water from a water source to the pipe in fluid communication with the pump;
combining the seeds released from the tank with the water from the water source in the pipe; and
passing the combination of seed released from the tank and the water released from the water source through the pump, thereby pumping the combination of the seeds released from the tank and the water from the water source to a grow pod line in fluid communication with the pump; and
moving the seeds from the grow pod line to one or more carts of an assembly line grow pod.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to pumping the combination of seeds and the water from the water source, positioning the seeds and the water in a tank at the assembly line grow pod.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising draining excess water from the tank at the assembly line grow pod.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein draining the excess water from the tank at the assembly line grow pod comprises draining the excess water through a water outlet positioned at an upper portion of the tank.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a volume of seeds released to the pipe;
determining whether the volume of seeds released to the pipe is above a predetermined threshold;
in response to determining that the volume of seeds released to the pipe is above the predetermined threshold, increasing a pressure of water at the water source.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a volume of seeds released from a tank;
determining whether the volume of seeds released from the tank is below a predetermined threshold;
in response to determining that the volume of seeds released from the tank is below the predetermined threshold, decreasing a pressure of water at the water source.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combination of seeds and the water from the water source comprises a ratio of about at least 4 parts water to about 1 part seed by volume.

8. A method for moving germinated seeds to an assembly line grow pod, the method comprising:
germinating seeds within a tank at a germination hub;
releasing the seeds from the tank to a pipe in fluid communication with the tank and in fluid communication with a pump;
moving water from a water source to the pipe in fluid communication with the pump;
combining the seeds released from the tank with the water from the water source in the pipe;
passing the combination of seed released from the tank and the water released from the water source through the pump, thereby pumping the combination of the seeds released from the tank and the water from the water source to a grow pod line in fluid communication with the pump; and
moving the seeds from the grow pod line to one or more carts of an assembly line grow pod.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, subsequent to pumping the combination of seeds released from the tank at the germination hub and the water from the water source, positioning the seeds and the water from the water source in a tank at the assembly line grow pod.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising draining excess water from the tank at the assembly line grow pod.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein draining the excess water from the tank at the assembly line grow pod comprises draining the excess water through a water outlet positioned at an upper portion of the tank at the assembly line grow pod.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting a volume of seeds released from the tank;
determining whether the volume of seeds released from the tank is above a predetermined threshold;
in response to determining that the volume of seeds released from the tank is above the predetermined threshold, increasing a pressure of water at the water source.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting a volume of seeds released from the tank;
determining whether the volume of seeds released from the tank is below a predetermined threshold;
in response to determining that the volume of seeds released from the tank is below the predetermined threshold, decreasing a pressure of water at the water source.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein germinating the seeds within the tank comprises directing water from the water source to the tank and wetting the seeds.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein germinating the seeds comprises retaining the seeds within the tank subsequent to wetting the seeds and prior to releasing the seeds to the pipe.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the combination of seeds released from the tank and the water from the water source comprises a ratio of at least about 4 parts water to 1 part seed by volume.

17. A system for an assembly line grow pod, the system comprising:
a germination hub comprising:
a tank;
a tank water valve in fluid communication with the tank, wherein the tank water valve is repositionable between a closed position and an open position;
a water source in selective fluid communication with the tank through the tank water valve;
a pump in selective fluid communication with the tank and the water source;
a water source valve positioned between the pump and the water source, wherein the water source valve is repositionable between an open position and a closed position; and
a tank outlet valve positioned between the tank and the pump, wherein the tank outlet valve is repositionable between an open position and a closed position;

a pod line in selective fluid communication with the germination hub; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the tank water valve, the pump, the water source valve, and the tank outlet valve, the controller comprising a processor and a computer readable and executable instruction set, which when executed, causes the processor to:
direct the tank water valve to move from the closed position to the open position;
direct the pump to move water from the water source to the tank through the tank water valve, wetting a first batch of seeds within the tank with the water from the water source, initiating germination of the first batch of seeds;
after a predetermined time, direct the tank outlet valve to move from the closed position to the open position, releasing the first batch of seeds from the tank to pass the combination of seed released from the tank and the water released from the water source through the pump;
direct the water source valve to move from the closed position, releasing water from the water source to the pump; and
direct the pump to move the first batch of seeds to the pod line and the water from the water source to the pod line.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a tank level sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, and wherein the executable instruction set, when executed, further causes the processor to:
receive a signal from the tank level sensor indicative of a volume of seeds released from the tank;
determine whether the volume of seeds released from the tank is above a predetermined threshold;
in response to determining that the volume of seeds released from the tank is above the predetermined threshold, direct the water source to increase a pressure of water at the water source.

19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a tank level sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, and wherein the executable instruction set

Assignees

• Grow Solutions Tech Llc

Inventors

• Smith Jordan Farnsworth
• Martin Charles Thomas
• Frodsham Joseph David
• Broadbent David Smith

Classifications

• A01C7/004

  using liquid seeding techniques · CPC title

• A01G9/26

  Electric devices {(A01G9/249 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A01G31/02

  Special apparatus therefor (self-acting watering devices A01G27/00) · CPC title

• A01G27/008

  Component parts, e.g. dispensing fittings, level indicators · CPC title

• A01G9/24

  Devices {or systems} for heating, ventilating, regulating temperature {, illuminating}, or watering, in greenhouses, forcing-frames, or the like · CPC title