Field of Invention

This invention relates to indoor horticulture and more particularly to rails for holding plant trays in a rotating garden.

Background of the Invention

Indoor gardening systems can enhance growing conditions or extend a growing season through controlling the light, temperature, nutrients and water conditions for plants. Given that trays of plants in either dirt or hydroponic media on tables take up a lot of square space just like fields of crops, and indoor spaces can be costly, various space saving measures have been developed, including rotating gardening systems. A rotating gardening system that is stackable is described in U.S. Patent No. 10,292,346 entitled Stackable Modular Rotatable Gardening System.

Such indoor rotating gardening systems require adaptations from outdoor gardening, including retaining trays in the rotating system, retaining plants in the trays, special non-spill media, delivery of nutrients, water and light, as well as enabling loading and unloading of trays. The structure of the rotating garden should not impede the delivery of nutrients, water and light, nor should it impede the loading and unloading of trays. A solution for retaining trays in a rotating garden while not interfering with delivery of feed and light, nor interfering with loading and unloading of trays, is needed.

Summary of Invention

In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a rotating garden rail for a rotating garden, comprising a top portion of two rail arms wherein a rail arm extends outwardly and lengthwise on each side of the rotating garden rail, a vertical middle portion extending lengthwise which connects the top portion to a bottom portion, said bottom portion comprising rail legs extending downwardly and joined at a bottom by a horizontal rail base forming a triangular shape and extending lengthwise, and the rail base extending outwardly and lengthwise into a rail foot on each side of the rail base, and said bottom portion further comprising an attachment means for attaching to a rotating garden. The rotating garden rail additionally comprises a head extending upwardly and lengthwise above the top portion.

The attachment means may comprise a trough extending lengthwise with two fastening means each comprising an opening, which fastening means are aligned vertically at a bottom of the trough.

The attachment means may comprise a trough extending lengthwise with two fastening means each comprising an opening, which fastening means are aligned horizontally such that one fastening means is at a top of the trough and one fastening means is at a bottom of the trough.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, there is a rotating garden with a front end and a back end, comprising; a front rotating ring at the front end and a back rotating ring at the back end; at least two adjacent rotating garden rails wherein each of the rotating garden rails comprise a top portion extending outwardly and lengthwise on each side of the rotating garden rail, a middle portion which connects the top portion to a bottom portion, said bottom portion extending outwardly and lengthwise on each side of each rotating garden rail, and said bottom portion further comprising an attachment means; and wherein each rotating garden rail extends from the front of the rotating garden to the back of the rotating garden, and is attached to the front rotating ring and to the back rotating ring through the attachment means, and wherein each of the at least two rotating garden rails are spaced apart so that a plant tray fits between the at least two rotating garden rails and between the top portion and the bottom portion of each rotating garden rail.

The rotating garden comprises at least one plant tray. In a further embodiment, the at least one plant tray additionally comprises an indented margin on each side of a bottom of the plant tray and the rail foot rests on the indented margin on each side of the plant tray.

Description of Drawings

These and other aspects of the present invention will be apparent from the brief description of the drawings and the following detailed description in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a rotating garden rail of an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a side perspective view of a portion of the rotating garden rail of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side perspective view of the rotating garden rail of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front view of a portion of a rotating garden with two rotating garden rails of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a front view of a portion of a rotating garden with two rotating garden rails of Figure 1 holding plant trays.

Figure 6 is a front view of the rotating garden rail of Figure 1 holding two plant trays in a rotating garden.

Figure 7 is a top view of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a bottom view of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a front view of a rotating garden rail of a further embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 10 is a front view of a rotating garden rail of a further embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of Invention

In an embodiment of the present invention, there is a rotating garden rail 180 for a rotating garden, comprising a top portion of two rail arms 182 extending outwardly and lengthwise on each side of the rotating garden rail, a vertical middle portion rail body 183 which connects the top portion 182 to a bottom portion, said bottom portion of rail legs 184 with a rail base 185 forming a triangular shape extending lengthwise on each side of the rotating garden rail, said rail base 185 extending outwardly from the rail legs 184 and lengthwise into rail feet 186 on each side, and said bottom portion further comprising an attachment means for attaching to a rotating garden.

In an embodiment of the present invention with a rail head 181 as shown in Figures 1 to 3, there is a rotating garden rail 180 having the rail head 181 extending downwardly into rail arms 182 which extend substantially perpendicular' to the rail head 181. In the middle and extending downwardly from the rail head 181 is a rail body 183 from which extend two rail legs 184 forming a triangular shape with a rail base 185. The rail base 185 extends from either end into rail feet 186. The rotating garden rail 180 requires attachment means for attaching it to a rotary garden. In this embodiment of a rotating garden rail 180, the attachment means is adapted for attaching at either end to a pair of rotating rings (not shown) in a rotary garden. In this embodiment of the attachment means, extending from the end of the legs 184 is a U-shaped attachment means having attachment means sides 187 and an attachment means base 188 on either side of which are circular fastening means 189 with openings 190.

Figure 4 is a front view of an example of a rotating garden 130 with which the rotating garden rails 180 may be used. As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the rotating garden rail 180 is attached to the inside of a ring 131 of the rotating garden 130 by fasteners 192 through the openings 190 in fastening means 189. The fasteners 192 may be such fasteners as bolts and screws. The rotating garden rail 180 is attached at the other end to a second rotating ring (not shown).

As shown in Figure 4, a series of rotating garden rails 180 are attached to a support ring 131 of a rotating garden 130 to form rows of rotating garden rails 180 (only two of which are shown here, but would extend all the way around the ring 131),

As shown in Figure 5, the rotating garden rails 180 support plant trays 125. The rotating garden rails 180 support the plant trays 125 along their length, and each rotating garden rail 180 can support one side of two plant trays 125 on one lengthwise side of each plant tray 125.

The plant tray 125 shown in Figures 5 to 8 has sides 170, a cover 160, a base 172 and a tray base addition 200. Tn this embodiment, a plant tray 125 slides onto a rotating garden 130 in between a pair of adjacent rotating garden rails 180 and the length of the plant tray 125 and each rotating garden rail 180 extends from one ring 131 to another ring 131 of a rotating garden. The width of the plant tray 125 fits in between the pair of rotating garden rails 180. The height of the plant tray 125 fits in between the rotating garden rail arm 182 and the rail foot 186 of the rotating garden rail on each side. The rotating garden rail arms 182 are resting on the tray cover 160, and the rail feet 186 are supporting an indented margin 175 of the tray base 172, In an alternative, the tray base addition 200 is not present and the margin 175 of the tray base 172 on which the rail feet 186 rest is not indented and is just part of the plant tray base 172,

It is understood that the rotating garden rail 180 will work with a plant tray without a cover 160 if the tray has a lip for the rail arm 182 to cover. The rotating garden rail 180 also works with a plant tray without a tray base addition 200 but then the rail feet 186 are extended longer so that the plant tray 125 is adequately supported and does not slip out. With the tray base addition 200 on the plant tray 125, the rail leg 184 extends under a tray base 172 only to the extent of a tray base margin 175. As such, the plant tray 125 does not slide too far onto one of the rail feet 186 of the pair of rotating garden rails 180 that support the plant tray 125 on either side, but rather is evenly spaced between the two rotating garden rails 180.

The rotating garden rail 180 maintains the plant trays 125 within the rotating garden even when rotated upside down and sideways. The rail arms 182 and rail feet 186 hold the tray cover 160 and tray base 172 of the plant tray 125, respectively, between them so that when the tray flexes a bit from the weight of its contents (plants and media) it doesn’t slip out and fall off of the rotating garden 130. When upside down, the rail arms 182 are supporting the tray cover 160, and the rail feet 186 are resting on a margin 175 of the tray base 172.

Although still substantially perpendicular to the rail head 181, in a further embodiment of the invention which is shown in the figures, the rail feet 186 and rail arms 182 are angled up slightly. This allows for holding the plant trays 125 more snugly since the plant trays 125 are positioned around the circular ring 131 (rather than being on a flat surface).

The rail head 181 in a further embodiment of the invention shown in the figures is optional, as seen in Figure 9. However, the rail head 181 allows attachment of additional garden components, such as, trellis or rods for hanging plants. Further, the rail head 181 and rail legs 184 configuration make the rotating garden rail aesthetically pleasing given the stick man shape.

The attachment of the rotating garden rail 180 to the ring 131 of the rotating garden occurs only at each end of the rotating garden rail 180. And in a further embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 10, the fastening means 189 with openings 190 are vertically aligned rather than horizontally aligned. However, having the rail base 185, attachment means sides 187 and attachment means base 188 running the length of the rotating garden rail 180 (rather than just at the ends) minimizes deflection over the length of the rotating garden rail.

It will be understood that there are embodiments of the rotating garden rail 180 that also ensure that the top and bottom of the tray are held snugly. In an alternative rotating garden rail, the rail legs 184 are combined into one to form an extension of the rail body 183, and the rail base 185 is subsumed into longer rail feet 186. In another alternative, the space between the rail legs 184 is filled in and solid. In all these examples, the rotating garden rail (when oriented with the rail head 181 or the top portion 182 up) has a top portion resting over a portion of the top of a plant tray 125, which may be a tray cover 160, and has a bottom portion under a tray base 172, along with attachment means to attach it to a rotating garden. In operation, in an embodiment of the invention there is a rotating garden with rotating garden rails comprising: a front rotating ring at a front end of the rotating garden and a back rotating ring at a back end of the rotating garden; a rotating garden rail comprising a top portion of two rail arms extending outwardly and lengthwise on each side of the rotating garden rail, a vertical middle portion rail body which connects the top portion to a bottom portion, said bottom portion of rail legs with a rail base forming a triangular shape extending lengthwise on each side of the rotating garden rail, said rail base extending outwardly from the rail legs and lengthwise into rail feet on each side, and said bottom portion further comprising an attachment means for attaching to a rotating garden; and wherein there are at least two rows of adjacent rotating garden rails extending from the front of the rotating garden to the back of the rotating garden, and each rotating garden rail is attached to the front rotating ring and to the back rotating ring through the attachment means, and wherein the rows are spaced apart so that a rotating garden rail is capable of supporting a lengthwise side of a plant tray on each side of the rotating garden rail.

Any plant trays need to be capable of sliding on and off of the rotary garden 130 so the rotating garden rail 180 is sized to allow the trays to fit snugly but not too tightly between the rail arms 182 and rail legs 186. The rotating garden rails 180 must be spaced sufficiently apart in a rotating garden to allow the trays to fit between the rotating garden rails 180 and not fall off of the plant tray base 172 (or tray base margin 175), or fall off of the rail arms 182 when the plant tray 125 is upside down. In an embodiment of the present rotary garden with rotating garden rails 180, there are twenty-four rotating garden rails 180 in a seven-foot diameter ring 131. In another embodiment of the present invention shown in Figure 9 there is a rotating garden rail

180 which does not include the rail head 181

It will be understood that the rotating garden rail 180 may be made of a strong material that can withstand the weight of the plant trays 125 it supports and which can be attached to a ring 131 of a rotating garden 130. The rotating garden rail 180 may be made of metals, including extruded metals such as aluminum.

From the above detailed description, the operation and construction of the invention should be apparent. While there are herein shown and described example embodiments of the invention, it is nevertheless understood that various changes may be made with respect thereto without departing from the principle and scope of the invention.