At a glance
| Patent number | CN208691875U (application CN201821056211) |
| Type | China utility model (实用新型) - protects product shape and structure |
| Original title | Vertical crop cultivation system (垂直式作物栽培系统) |
| Patent owner | Yuanxian Agricultural Biotechnology Co ltd |
| Inventors | Cai Wenqing, Cai Zonglin, Wang Wangnan, Chen Wenyang |
| Filing date | 2018-07-04 |
| Grant date | 2019-04-05 |
| Status (China) | Withdrawn - the owner abandoned the patent right (effective 2021-08-10) |
| Patent family | Chinese filings only - CN208691875U; cited by one Japanese filing (JP2021090372A, an individual Japanese applicant) |
| Cited by | 3 later documents |
| Source | Google Patents (search for CN208691875U) |
What the claims cover, in plain language
Claim 1 defines a vertical crop cultivation system comprising a building facility (10) enclosing a cultivation space with at least one layer frame (11) holding plural cultivation beds (12). A nutrient solution supply unit (20) has at least one reservoir (21) embedded under the earth’s surface, connected to the beds via a nutrient solution pumping device (22) and pipelines (23). A light illuminating unit (30) places a photoelectricity mould group (31) at each bed. An air-conditioning unit (40) uses water curtains (41) connected to supply equipment (42) and bubble mould groups (43). An audio frequency adjust unit (50) uses loudspeakers (51) connected to an audio player (52). A control unit (60) electrically connects to and controls the pump, photoelectric modules, bubble modules, and audio player.
Claims 2-8 specify combinations of bubble generators within the bubble mould group: oxygen bubble generators (431), carbon dioxide bubble generators (432), and ozone bubbles generators (433), used individually or together. Claims 9-11 detail connections between the air-conditioning unit’s supply equipment and specific bubble generators.
This is a simplified reading for orientation only. The legal scope is defined by the exact claim wording in the official Chinese document.
What this means for US production
This patent was filed only in China and was withdrawn (the owner actively abandoned the patent right effective 2021-08-10), so it no longer restricts anyone in China either. It has no US counterpart.
Two points to settle early:
- Other patents may exist. Controlled environment agriculture and vertical farming are heavily patented fields globally. Notably, a Japanese filing (JP2021090372A, filed by an individual applicant) cites this Chinese patent, indicating related intellectual property activity in this space. A freedom-to-operate (FTO) review covering underground reservoir integration, bubble-based air conditioning, and audio-frequency plant stimulation is recommended before tooling or installation.
- System integration. Sizing the underground reservoir, selecting the correct pump capacity, matching the photoelectric modules to the crop’s light spectrum requirements, and calibrating the bubble generators must be confirmed on prototypes for each specific crop and facility footprint.
Customization and manufacturing
What can be customized
| Area | Options |
|---|---|
| Building facility dimensions | Size to be confirmed in design based on available warehouse or built structure |
| Layer frames and beds | Number of tiers, bed depth, and water pan structure dimensions set in design |
| Reservoir capacity | Volume to be confirmed in design based on crop count and irrigation cycles |
| Light illuminating unit | Photoelectric cell types (first 311, second 312, third 313) and spectrum output chosen per crop |
| Bubble mould group | Selection of oxygen (431), carbon dioxide (432), or ozone (433) generators based on target atmosphere |
| Control unit logic | Programming adjusted to control component actions based on specific crop growth states |
| Audio frequency settings | Vibration frequencies selected via the audio player and loudspeakers for the target plant species |
Things to plan for (US market)
- UL / ETL listing - electrical components including the control unit, pumps, photoelectric modules, and audio players used in damp agricultural environments typically require safety certification.
- FDA 21 CFR - if the crops are intended for human consumption, materials contacting the nutrient solution (reservoir liners, pipelines, water pans) must comply with food contact regulations.
- EPA regulations - the use of ozone bubble generators (433) indoors is subject to occupational exposure limits and environmental rules regarding ozone generation.
- NEC (NFPA 70) - wiring in wet locations like indoor farms must follow specific electrical codes.
How a project runs
- Inquiry - define the facility size, target crops, desired number of layers, and required environmental parameters.
- Design - engineer the layer frames, calculate reservoir volume, select photoelectric modules, specify bubble generator types, and program the control unit logic.
- Prototype - build a scaled section of the layer frames, test the underground reservoir’s thermal performance, and verify bubble and audio outputs.
- Pilot run - operate the full system through a crop cycle to confirm that the control unit correctly coordinates the pumps, lights, air conditioning, and audio based on plant growth states.
- Production - manufacture the frames, mold the water pans, assemble the supply equipment, wire the control unit, and install the facility.
Quantities & timeline
Manufacturing requires structural fabrication for the layer frames and building facility modifications, custom molding for the cultivation bed water pans, plumbing assembly for the nutrient pipelines and underground reservoir, and electronic integration for the control unit, photoelectric modules, and bubble generators. Certification testing for electrical and food-contact components takes significant time. Send us your facility dimensions, target crops, number of layers, required bubble types, quantity, and timeline and we will reply with options.
Patent drawings
Drawings reproduced from the public patent document for reference.
