Apparatus for cultivating plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12532817-B2
Application number	US-202318239259-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2023
Priority date	Feb 18, 2019
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

An apparatus for cultivating plants may include a cabinet having an interior space, a door to open or close the interior space, at least one bed provided in the interior space and used to cultivate the plants, at least one light assembly to irradiate the at least one bed with light for photosynthesis, a water tank to store water to be supplied to the at least one bed, and a machine compartment provided at a lower portion of the cabinet, and separated from the interior space to communicate with an ambient surrounding, a compressor and a condenser being provided in the machine room to adjust a temperature of the interior space. The water tank may be provided inside the interior space spaced apart from the machine compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for cultivating plants, the apparatus comprising:
a cabinet having a cultivating space open at a front surface thereof; a heat exchanger provided in the cultivating space to adjust a temperature of the cultivating space; a door to open or close the cultivating space; at least one bed provided in the cultivating space and used to cultivate the plants; at least one light assembly disposed above the at least one bed to irradiate the at least one bed; a water tank disposed in the cultivating space, and configured to store water to be supplied to the at least one bed, wherein the water tank comprises:
a tank body having a top surface open to receive water;
a tank cover rotatably connected to a rear end of the tank body and configured to open and close the top surface of the tank body;
a tank rail coupled with the water tank and an inner side of the cabinet and configured to allow the water tank to be withdrawn from or inserted into the cultivating space;
a suction pipe that is provided inside of the tank body and extends rearward through a rear surface of the tank body;
a connection pipe disposed at a rear of the water tank and provided at a position corresponding to the suction pipe; and
a tank fixing portion that is disposed at the rear surface of the tank body and extends in a same direction as the suction pipe to selectively restrict withdrawal of the water tank, wherein the door has a size to cover a front of the cultivating space fully, and in a state in which the door is closed, an entire front surface of the water tank inserted into the cultivating space is covered by the door, and in a state in which the door is open, the water tank is exposed at the front surface and withdrawn from the cultivating space, wherein
when the water tank is inserted into the cultivating space, the tank cover is closed and covers the top surface of the tank body, the suction pipe is inserted to the connection pipe, and the tank fixing portion is coupled to a protrusion provided on one side of the inner portion of the cabinet, and when the water tank is withdrawn from the cultivating space, the suction pipe is separated from the connection pipe, the tank fixing portion is separated from the protrusion, and the tank cover is exposed and rotated in front of the at least one bed to be opened by a user's operation.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a cover engaging groove is formed at an upper end of the tank body, and wherein a cover engaging protrusion is formed at a rear end of the tank cover, and wherein the cover engaging groove and the cover engaging protrusion are rotatably coupled.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the tank cover is made of a transparent material such that a water level inside of the tank body is viewable therethrough.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a cover gasket is mounted at the tank cover and configured to contact an upper end of the tank body in a state in which the tank cover is closed.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the cover gasket comprises:
a gasket mount inserted and fixed in a gasket groove formed along a circumference of a bottom surface of the tank cover; and an airtightness portion that extends downward from one side of the gasket mount and inserted into the open top surface of the tank body, the airtightness portion closely contacting an inner surface of the tank body to seal an inner portion of the tank body.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein rail mounts are formed at side surfaces of the tank body for mounting the tank rail.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein a rail locker is provided at a front end of the tank rail to restrict the tank rail in the rail mount, and wherein the rail locker is coupled to the tank rail and configured to be selectively coupled to or decoupled from the rail mount by a user.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the tank rail comprises:
an upper rail mounted to the rail mount; a lower rail fixed on opposite sidewalls of the cultivating space; and a middle rail that connects the upper rail and the lower rail and configured to be slidably coupled to the upper rail and the lower rail, and wherein when the water tank is withdrawn, the tank rail slidably extends allowing the user to open the tank cover.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the water tank is provided in a space between a bottom surface of the cultivating space and the bed in a state in which the water tank is inserted, and wherein a front surface of the at least one bed and the water tank are vertically aligned.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a machine compartment is provided at the bottom surface of the cultivating space, wherein a compressor and a condenser are provided in the machine compartment to adjust the temperature of the cultivating space, and wherein the water tank is provided in front of the machine compartment.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a bottom of the water tank is covered by the bottom surface of the cultivating space, a back is covered by the machine compartment, and a top is covered by the at least one bed.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a pump and a valve that supply water to the at least one bed are provided between the machine compartment and the water tank, and wherein the pump and the valve are covered by the water tank.

13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a step protrudes inward of the cultivating space from a position corresponding to the machine compartment, and wherein the water tank is received inside of a space defined by the door, the step, the at least one bed, and the bottom surface of the cultivating space.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the water tank is positioned lower than a top surface of the step.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the water tank has a width corresponding to a width of the cultivating space, and a height corresponding to a distance from the bottom surface of the cultivating space to a bottom surface of the at least one bed.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tank fixing portion includes a pair of ribs that extends rearwardly, wherein a distance between of the pair of ribs has a size corresponding to the protrusion, and wherein when the water tank is completely introduced, the tank fixing portion is elastically deformed so that the protrusion is inserted between the pair of ribs.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Jung Yongki
• Lee Soobeom

Classifications

• A01G9/249

  Lighting means (with special arrangements for promoting growth A01G7/045) · CPC title

• A01G9/247

  Watering arrangements · CPC title

• A01G9/246 Primary

  Air-conditioning systems · CPC title

• Y02P60/21

  Dinitrogen oxide [N2O], e.g. using aquaponics, hydroponics or efficiency measures · CPC title

• A01G27/005

  Reservoirs connected to flower-pots through conduits · CPC title