The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 12, 1996
Filed:
Jan. 07, 1994
Barney K Huang, Raleigh, NC (US);
Other;
Abstract
The present invention entails a plant/plug growing tray and an automatic transplanting system which includes a tray with a plurality of individual plant/plug cells and a vacuum system that is operative to induce plants to a planting area or receptacle such as field or pots. The tray also serves as a plant supply cartridge for air-pruned plants/plugs so that they can be automatically removed from the tray bottom for fully automated transplanting, using a continuous, intermittent or impulse pneumatic system. In the embodiment disclosed herein the transplanting system has the capability of transferring a set of multi-plants/plugs simultaneously, and then to shift a supply tray to a subsequent position and then to transfer a second set of multi-plants/plugs. In addition, the plant transferring and transplanting of the present invention is specifically designed and adapted such that it can be utilized both in the dry or paddy field, and internally within a greenhouse.