Plant cultivation apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023033427-A1
Application number	US-202017791179-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2020
Priority date	Jan 6, 2020
Publication date	Feb 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for cultivating plants according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cabinet including an outer case forming an outer appearance, an inner case forming a cultivation space, and an insulating material disposed in a space between the inner case and the outer case; an evaporator provided inside the cultivation space to adjust a temperature of the cultivation space; a door configured to open and close the cultivation space; a cultivation shelf configured to be disposed inside the cultivation space, on which a seed package containing plants for cultivation is seated; a water supply module configured to supply water to the cultivation shelf; a machine room having a separate space formed under the cultivation space; a compressor configured to be disposed in the machine room and to be connected to the evaporator to compress the refrigerant; a heat dissipation fan configured to be disposed in the machine room and configured to dissipate heat generated by the compressor to the outside; a suction duct formed to pass through the insulating material from the upper portion of the cabinet and through which outside air flows therein; and a discharge duct formed to pass through the insulating material from a lower surface of the cabinet to discharge air inside the cultivation space to the machine room.

First claim

1 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . An apparatus for cultivating plants comprising:
a cabinet including:
an outer case defining an outer appearance,
an inner case defining a cultivation space, and
an insulating material disposed in a space defined between the inner case and the outer case;
a door configured to open and close the cultivation space; a temperature adjustment device disposed in the cultivation space and configured to adjust a temperature of the cultivation space; a cultivation shelf disposed in the cultivation space and configured to accommodate plants for cultivation; and a suction duct disposed between the outer case and the inner case and passing through the insulating material; wherein an inlet of the suction duct is coupled to an opening of the outer case, and an outlet of the suction duct is coupled to an opening of the inner case, the suction duct being configured to pass outdoor air therethrough into the inner case.

17 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 16 , wherein the opening of the outer case is defined at a rear surface of the cabinet.

18 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 17 ,
wherein the outlet of the suction duct is open in a direction intersecting the inlet of the suction duct.

19 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 17 ,
wherein the temperature adjustment device is disposed at a rear portion of the cultivation space, and wherein the suction duct passes through a side of the temperature adjustment device.

20 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 16 ,
wherein the inlet of the suction duct is disposed behind the temperature adjustment device, and wherein the outlet of the suction duct is disposed in front of the temperature adjustment device.

21 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 20 ,
wherein a blower assembly configured to circulate air in the cultivation space is disposed in front of the temperature adjustment device, and wherein the outlet of the suction duct is disposed between the temperature adjustment device and the blower assembly, the suction duct being configured to pass the outdoor air to drive the blower assembly.

22 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 21 , wherein the blower assembly includes:
a blower fan; and a fan guide accommodating the blower fan and configured to guide the air discharged from the blower fan, and wherein at least a portion of the outlet of the suction duct overlaps a portion of a space defined between the fan guide and the temperature adjustment device.

23 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 16 ,
wherein a filter is disposed at the opening of the inner case.

24 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 23 ,
wherein a filter guide configured to guide a detachment of the filter is defined in the inner case, and wherein the filter guide is configured to accommodate the filter from the inside of the cultivation space.

25 . An apparatus for cultivating plants comprising:
a cabinet defining a cultivation space surrounded by an insulating material; a door configured to open and close the cultivation space; a suction duct defined to pass through the insulating material and configured to pass outdoor air therethrough such that an outside of the cabinet is in fluid communication with the cultivation space; an evaporator disposed in the cultivation space and configured to adjust a temperature of the cultivation space; a machine room defining a space separate from the cultivation space and having a compressor, a condenser, and a heat dissipation fan therein; and a discharge duct configured to communicate the cultivation space with the machine room, wherein the suction duct is configured to pass the outdoor air into the cultivation space, and the discharge duct is configured to discharge the outdoor air in the cultivation space into the machine room.

26 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 25 ,
wherein an inlet of the suction duct is defined at a rear surface of the cabinet, the inlet of the suction duct configured to pass the outdoor air therethrough.

27 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 25 ,
wherein the machine room is disposed below the cultivation space, and wherein an inlet of the discharge duct is defined at a lower surface of the cultivation space, and an outlet of the discharge duct is defined at an upper surface of the machine room.

28 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 25 ,
wherein an exhaust fan is further disposed in the discharge duct, and wherein the discharge duct is configured to, based on the exhaust fan operating, discharge the air in the cultivation space to the outside of the cabinet via the machine room.

29 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 25 ,
wherein the machine room further includes a barrier dividing the inside of the machine room into a suction-side space and a discharge-side space, wherein the condenser is disposed in the suction-side space and the compressor is disposed in the discharge-side space, and wherein an outlet of the discharge duct is in fluid communication with the suction-side space.

30 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 29 ,
wherein the outlet of the discharge duct is open and disposed between the heat dissipation fan and the condenser.

31 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 30 ,
wherein the heat dissipation fan is disposed at the barrier and configured to, based on the heat dissipation fan being driven, pass the outdoor air into the suction-side space and then discharge to the outside of the cabinet through the discharge-side space.

32 . The apparatus for cultivating plants of claim 25 ,
wherein a gasket in contact with the cabinet is disposed at a rear surface of the door, the gasket being configured, based on the door being closed, to provide an airtight seal between the cabinet and the door.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lim Kiyoung

Classifications

• A01G9/246 Primary

  Air-conditioning systems · CPC title

• A01G9/24 Primary

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

• A01G9/247

  Watering arrangements · CPC title

• A01G9/249

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

• Y02A40/25

  Greenhouse technology, e.g. cooling systems therefor · CPC title