HK1172206B - Device for a vertical or angled arrangement of the hydroponic cultivation of plants - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device for vertical or inclined arrangement of soil-free plant culture.

An example of a device for a vertical arrangement of plant culture above ground is known from document FR-A-2 902 602. In this document, the device receives a nutrient substrate arranged vertically, in which the plants are implanted horizontally. This arrangement poses growth problems for plants because normally their stems and roots must be planted substantially vertically for proper photosynthesis to work. Furthermore when planting plants it is difficult not to lose nutrient substrate because there is no substantially vertical wall to retain the substrate. Furthermore, fixing this type of device is difficult because the fixing devices are subject to corrosion favored by plants and irrigation, and it is difficult to fix the irrigation water flowing on these devices, as an example of this is document WO 098 - A 762.

The present invention is intended in particular to remedy the disadvantages of the previous state of the art.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a device for a vertical or inclined arrangement of plant culture above ground, comprising at least one module determining an internal volume intended to receive at least one nutrient substrate and plants and bounded by a front and a back wall in conjunction with the front wall, at least one front wall having at least one opening for the passage of plants and at least one of the front walls and having a mounting area for attaching the module to a support. In this device, at least one of the front wall and the back wall has overlapping edges, when the module is arranged in a plant wall or in a vegetation wall with at least two adjacent modules, which allow at least one to be installed partially or completely in the roof.

In various embodiments of the device according to the invention, one or both of the following may be used in addition: a drainage outlet to a lower part of the internal volume; the drainage outlet extends into the lower edge of the module, the lower edge having at least one notch in the front; the drainage outlet is a slit between the front and rear wall; a gutter is provided for the recovery of water passing through the water outlet; the gutter is incorporated into the lower edge by a suitable edge shelf; below the front wall a water intake is provided between the wall and the rear wall; the device according to the invention is suitable for installation in a vegetable or vegetable roof and may contain at least two adjacent modules which at least partially or completely overlap the roof wall,at least one of the front and rear walls with overlapping edges; the rear wall has vertical buttresses protruding forward to support a lower edge of a module placed adjacent to the top; the edges of the front wall and the edges of the rear wall are solid and form the anchorage area of the module; a water reservoir is located between the front and rear wall; the water reservoir is formed by a removable tank; the front wall has at least a substantially horizontal part delimiting the front opening by an inclined opening; a substantially horizontal part connecting the front part to the front of the retention part and extending towards the rear and the rear; a horizontal part connecting the front or rear entrance to the water retention part; or a water reservoir formed by a horizontal part, or by a back entrance, by a slit or a slit;The device shall be designed to be mounted on a flat surface, with a vertical supporting structure, which shall be positioned at a height of at least 5 m above the ground.

Further purposes, features and advantages of the invention will be described in the following description of several embodiments, given as non-limiting examples, in conjunction with the attached drawings.

On the drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention, installed vertically on a building wall; Figure 2 is a technical drawing in perspective three quarters from a front wall of the device module of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a technical drawing in perspective three quarters from a rear wall of the device module of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic view from above of the device of Figure 1, installed on the wall; Figure 5 is a technical drawing in perspective three quarters from below the device of Figure 1.Figure 6 is a technical drawing in perspective three quarters from a front wall of a variant of the module of the device in Figure 1; Figure 7 is a technical drawing in perspective three quarters from a rear wall of the module in Figure 6; Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 are technical drawings of the module in Figures 6 and 7, respectively in front, top, bottom and side view; Figure 12 is a vertical cut according to lines XII to XII of Figure 8; Figures 13,Err1:Expecting ',' delimiter: line 1 column 235 (char 234)Figures 20 and 21 are technical drawings of a third embodiment of the device according to the invention having a plurality of triangular modules, respectively in perspective view, facing, top and side assembly; Figures 23 to 27 are schematic views of other embodiments of the device according to the invention, mainly intended for use inside a building; Figures 28A, 29A and 30A on the one hand and Figures 28B, 29B and 30B on the other hand represent, respectively in top and front views, variants of supports for the devices according to the invention,Figure 31 represents a variant of the arrangement of the irrigation pipe,Figures 32A, 32B and 32C represent, respectively, in a cup, in a top view and in a front view, another variant of the water supply of the device of the invention;Figure 33 is a perspective view of a water tank;Figures 34A, 34B represent, respectively, in a side view and in a front view, a variant of a gutter;Figures 35 to 37 represent devices of the invention as space separators; andFigures 38A, 38B represent,In a front view and a side view, respectively, a device of the invention as an entry decoration.

In the various figures, the same references refer to identical or similar elements.

Reference 10 to the figures refers to a device according to the invention for a vertical or inclined arrangement of plant culture above ground to form a plant wall or a plant roof, respectively.

In the following description, the vertical direction V is understood to mean the device in a mounting position in which it is used to form the vegetable wall or roof. The horizontal direction L is according to the length of the device and the horizontal direction T is according to the width of the device. For modules intended to be mounted on a supporting surface, for example on a wall, the front is on the ornamental side of the vegetable wall, corresponding to the visible face of the wall covered by plants, and the rear is on the non-ornamental side of the vegetable wall, facing the support.

The device 10 shall consist of at least one module 12 determining an internal volume 14 intended to accommodate at least one nutrient substrate and plants 16, in this case their root and the lower part of their stem.

In the first embodiment of the device 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2, as installed vertically parallel to the building wall 20, each module 12 is approximately 80 cm high and 130 cm long.

Plants 16 have parts, in this case the stems and foliage, that pass through at least one opening 24, for their exposure to light.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, rows 22 can each accommodate eight plant buds 16, each bud corresponding to an opening 24.

The inner volume 14 (Figure 4) is bounded on the one hand by a front wall 30 with openings 24 suitable for planting 16.

Each group 24A of four openings 24 is arranged in a fairly horizontal part 32 of the front 30 wall, this part allowing for good retention of the nutrient substrate during planting operations. Each fairly horizontal part 32 is slightly inclined forward and downward, for example by ten to twenty degrees. This slight inclination prevents water and dead leaves from being retained. It facilitates manufacture in a mold of the front 30 wall.

The front wall 30 also has a slanted section 34 connected to the front of each horizontal section 32 and extending downwards and backwards.

The inner volume 14 is further delimited by a rear wall 35 solid to the front wall 30, the walls 30 and 35 being separate rooms.

On their periphery, the front wall 30 and the rear wall 35 are sealed together, for example by bonding or laser welding, to prevent unwanted leakage of irrigation water, fertiliser and nutrient substrate.

Between the rear wall 35, the substantially horizontal part 32 and the sloping part 34 of the front wall 30, a floor of internal volume 14 of substantially triangular section corresponds to each row 22 of plants 16, the said internal volume 14 floors communicating with each other.

In addition, at the top of the walls and between them, each module 12 has a water intake opening or slot 36, as shown in Figure 4. An upper ledge 36A delimits the front of the slot 36 by being arranged vertically above the rear end of the highest of the substantially horizontal parts 32 of the front wall 30.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, as modules 12 are intended to be installed adjacent to each other and next to each other to form the vegetation wall, the edges of modules 12 overlap, for example, by three centimetres at the junction of the modules to prevent water infiltration to the rear of the device 10 forming the vegetation wall.

Thus, the upper edge 41 and left edge 43 of each module 12 are protruding to the rear of the module. And the lower edge 42 and right edge 44 of each module 12 are protruding forward from the rear of the module, the protrusion being at least equal to the thickness of the upper edge 41 and left edge 43. The protrusions result from 45 detachments of the corresponding edges. As a result, when modules 12 are positioned adjacent along wall 20, the right edge 44 of one of the modules 12 overlaps the left edge 43 of the adjacent module laterally and the edge 42 of one of the modules 12 overlaps the upper edge of the adjacent module 41 vertically. Water can hardly seep back into the modules 12 as well.

In Figure 5, for example, the 45th gap between the right edge 44 and the rest of the rear face of the rear wall 35 is clearly visible.

As shown in Figure 3, the rear wall has vertical 41A stud studs which allow two adjacent modules to be vertically anchored in height by supporting the lower edge 42 of the upper module on the 41A studs of the lower module.

In addition, the vertical edges 43 and 44 of module 12 are mounting areas which are fixed to the supports 18 e.g. by screws 46 (Fig. 1). Plates 47 serve as washers and covers to preserve the edges of the modules. The supports 18 are here made up of vertical wooden posts, which are themselves fixed to the wall 20 by screws 48. Alternatively, the supports are metal profiles 18A with a substantially equal section (Figures 28A, 28B) or metal profiles 18B with an open rectangular section (Figures 29A, 29B), which are themselves fixed to the wall 20 by blocks 48. The first variant is sought when the adjacent modules are to be mounted in parallel but the second variant is sought when the modules must be mounted in parallel - in this case the profile 18A may be mounted on a closed surface, because the profile 29B is located between the blocks.

According to a third variant, shown in Figures 30A, 30B, the support is integrated into the modules, in that by forming in the two front and rear walls of the modules 11 anchorage plots protruding towards the rear, the modules can be fixed directly to the wall 20 by screws 48 while maintaining a natural ventilation space between the wall and the modules.

Pipe 10 also has a horizontal 50 per drop irrigation pipe, which is arranged in front of slot 36 to distribute water into the inner volume 14 through slot 36. Pipe 50 rests on the upper end slice 52 of the side walls of each module 12, passing through a side notch 54 of the said walls. According to a variant of the design shown in Figure 31, the 50 is deflected downwards by at least a 51 plot between the front wall 30 and the rear wall 35 halfway between the side notches 54 of the side walls and connected by a material connection device 35. By means of the tank towards the bottom, the water droplets do not rise to the left side of the wall and form a loop of 50 parallel ramps, which are also connected to the right side of the module 12.

As shown in Figures 2 to 5, each module has, in addition to the water inlet slot 36, arrangements to manage the flow of water into the internal volume 14 and the discharge of excess water through the lower edge 42.

To control the internal flow of water along the rear wall 35, the rear wall has horizontal partition ribs of the inner volume 14, protruding forward in this volume. The horizontal partition ribs are referenced 60 in Figure 3. Each partition rib is arranged so as to face the rear end rim 32A of each substantially horizontal part 32 of the front wall.

In the first embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 5, each partitioning rib 60 has a considerably square section and its width is such that it does not come into contact with the wall before 30 so as not to partition the internal volume 14, while allowing the passage of water by runoff between the floors corresponding to the 22 rows of plants 16.

The module has a central column between the horizontal section 32 of the front wall 30 corresponding to group 24A of openings 24. On the front wall 30, the central column, referred to as 30A in Figures 2 and 4, consists of receding sections at the level of the horizontal sections 32 and the sloping sections 34. On the rear wall 35, the central column, referred to as 35B in Figure 3, consists of overlays with an upper face 64 parallel to the horizontal section 32 of the front wall 30 and sloping faces parallel to the receding sections at the level of the sloping sections 34.

The front wall 30 and the rear wall 35 are fixed, for example by laser welding, respectively to the recessed sections and the studs of the central column. In addition, the said walls 30 and 35 are fixed by the same technique respectively to their left front edges 43A and 43B, their right front edges 44A and 44B and their lower edges 42A and 42B. The lower edge 42A of the front wall 30 enters the space 45B between the lower edge 42B of the rear wall 35 and an internal horizontal edge 72.

In addition to the horizontal ribs 60 which partition the inner volume 14 of the module, the rear wall 35 has ribs protruding forward around this volume 14 as internal vertical edges 70, connected to the side ends of the horizontal partition ribs 60. The substantially horizontal inner rib 72 is connected to the lower edge 42B of the rear wall 35 and at its side ends to the inner vertical edges 70, at the lower corners of the rear wall 35.

Rear notches 75 are dug in the internal horizontal edge 72 on the right and left at one quarter of the length of modules 12 (Figure 3). In parallel, notches 76 are dug in the lower edge 42A of the front wall 30 on the right and left at one quarter of the length of modules 12 (Figure 5). These notches 75 and 76 allow water to be drained, for example when there is rain causing excessive irrigation.

In addition to notches 75 and 76, the front wall 30 and the rear wall 35 have respectively notches 77 and 78 which are intended to stop the lateral flow of water from the notches.

In the previously described method, the front walls 30 and rear walls 35 are separate parts of ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) based polymer, obtained for example by thermoforming or injection.

The invention allows a green wall to be installed in a building, improving its thermal insulation and having the following advantages: • the quality and reliability of the sealing between the modules, by means of edge covers of modules which accept dispersions; without risk of mis-assembly; simplicity of installation by being able to compensate for irregularities in the building wall plan; strengthening the planting between the rear of the building and the building to avoid problems of planting, by the use of plant supporting materials; ease of installation and installation of additional planting and planting spaces, creating additional green spaces.

A second mode of manufacture of a module according to the invention, which is a variant of the previously described mode, is shown in Figures 6 to 14.

In this way the modules are of different dimensions, i.e. 1 metre high by 80 centimetres long, the 24 openings are larger and four per row, always divided into two groups, to allow for a larger space for the plant boots.

The butting edges are not present, but the butting is done by the possible butting of the upper edges 41 on the detachment resulting from the 45C offset (Fig. 11) between the lower edge 42B and the rear face of the rear wall 35 at the level of the space 45B between the lower edge 42B and the internal horizontal edge 72.

The differences relate mainly to the partitioning ribs 60.

Each partition rib 60 above and below the floors has a substantially triangular section. It has a top face 82 inclined forward and downwards, e.g. at thirty degrees. This top face 82 has 84 splits serving as a water passage channel between two rows 22 of plants 16 in module 12 or between the water inlet slit 36 to the inner volume 14. Between the splits 84, the front end edge 86 of rib 60 is fixed, e.g. by laser welding, to the back end edge 32A of each substantial part 32 of the front horizon, as shown in Figure 12.

Only one slot 75 and one slot 76 are made in half the length of the module.

A first variant of this second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 32A to 32C. This variant mainly concerns the position of the partitioning rib 60

To ensure a better distribution of the water to each row of plants, water from the water pipe 50 or the upper row 22 is directed upwards through a rib 60 slightly, i.e. about 1 to 3 cm, below the lower edge of the 24 openings in each row 22.

This variant also concerns the presence of a plot 51 at the top of the module, which is arranged in such a way as to enable the watering tube 50 to be held up advantageously but not necessarily with a downward deflection and at the same time to form a means by which the module can be held up for any handling of the module.

A second variant of the second module embodiment according to the invention is shown in Figures 16 to 17.

In this variant, water tanks 90 are placed at the bottom of each row 22 supporting on the one hand the inner face of the sloping parts 34 and on the other hand the upper face 82 of the partition ribs 60 or the horizontal inner edge 72.

This variant of the second method is particularly suitable for hot countries, where water is needed in greater quantities and where there is no risk of freezing in the reservoir 90.

According to a third variant of the second embodiment, the water reservoir consists of a removable tank 94 as shown in Figure 33. The tank 94 is an elongated tank with external dimensions corresponding to the internal dimensions of the bottom of the 22 rows and with a slanted front wall 95 and a slanted wall 96, both of which are in contact with the front and rear walls of the module.

In Figures 18A to 18F, a gutter 100 is provided to be installed between two vertically adjacent modules 12 and this gutter 100 also has an overlapping top edge 41 and bottom edge 42 on the same principle as the overlapping edges of modules 12.

Each dropper 100 has a horizontal 100L pipe with a water guide 101 edge which is open to the upper edge 41 and a slot 76, being longer than the latter and the distance between the cut-offs 78, and surrounded on three sides by a water inlet 101A.

When mounted, for example in a factory, before mounting along a wall, the lower edge 42 of the upward adjacent module is inserted between the upper edge 41 of the 100 and its guide edge 101, the latter facing notches 75 and 76 of the said module 12.

It is advantageous to have a horizontal rear wall 102 of the gutter, shown in Figures 18A and 18F, between gutter ledge 42 and bottom edge 42 of the gutter, with air vents 103 forming air passages between the outside and the back of the device to prevent condensation between the device and the building supporting it.

The horizontal 100L and vertical 100V exhaust lines are connected by coupling sleeves 104 as shown in Figures 18B and 18C.

In one variant shown in Figures 34A, 34B, the gutter - referenced 110 - is integrated into the overlap assembly of module 122 by a suitable front wall rack. Gutter 110 is formed with a slope for the flow of water to one side of the module. In the example in Figure 34B, the water flows to the left side of module 122.

In a third mode of construction shown in Figures 19 to 22, the modules are generally triangular in shape instead of rectangular, so as to be positioned in a lozenge on a wall, as a decorative and thermally insulating element which partially covers a façade.

Figures 23 to 27 show a way of making the device of the invention intended mainly for indoor use, for example to divide a large space into several workstations and thus obtain a landscaped office.

The device of the invention comprises a plurality of modules 112 fixed on vertical supports 118 solids of a base 120 possibly mounted on wheels 121 to be removable.

Each module 112 has two horizontal rows 122 of two compartments 123 connected to each other, but each compartment 123 has its own opening 124 for the installation of a substrate and plants.

Thus, the device shown in Figures 23 and 24 comprises, on each side of the supports 118, four modules 112 each with four compartments 123 for receiving plants.

The design shown in the drawings is not, of course, limited in the number of rows and, for each row, the number of compartments. Thus, each row may contain either a single compartment 123 or two, three, four or more compartments 123. The example of two rows with two compartments is entirely arbitrary but could be a practical solution depending on the dimensions determined for the modules. The number of rows and compartments will depend not only on the need to combine the modules for a given space but also on the weight of each module and the manoeuvrability of these modules by the workers, which is therefore generally more limited inside a building than outdoors.

Each row 123 comprises a volume 114 bounded by a front wall 130 and a rear wall 135 solidary to the front wall 130. The front wall 130 comprises a substantially horizontal section 132 with 124 openings, a downward and backward inclined section 134 giving volume 114 a substantially triangular section and two side walls 133, respectively right and left. Each substantially horizontal section can be made with a forward inclination determined between 0° and about 10°, depending on manufacturing constraints, aesthetic criteria or other reasons.

The walls 130 and 135 can be made independently of each other and then assembled in a watertight manner, e.g. by bonding, and having a zone 140 for the fixing of the module on the supports 118.

As the device according to this method is designed for manual watering, no input is provided for watering water and fertilizer.Water for watering, including fertilizer or nutrient additives where appropriate, is introduced into volume 114 through openings 124.However, for special applications, openings for watering water can be provided, for example on the horizontal section 132 of the front wall 130.

Thus, according to the embodiment of the device of the invention, shown in Figures 25 to 27, the device consists of four modules 212 mounted on a support 218 each having four compartments 223 arranged in two horizontal rows 222 to receive plants.

Each row 222 comprises a volume 214 bounded by a front wall 230 and a rear wall 235 solid to the front wall 230. The front wall 230 comprises a substantially horizontal part 232 with openings 224 for plants and extended backwards by a part 231 with an opening 225 for substrate setting and watering, a downward and backward inclined part 234 giving volume 214 a substantially trapezoidal section and two side walls 233, respectively right and left, extended backwards by two parts 236. Each substantially horizontal part 232 may be made with a forward inclination of between 0° and 10°, depending on the manufacturing method, or other criteria, as this is done to prevent the first leaf from turning or falling, or to prevent the second leaf from turning and falling.

As can be seen in Figure 27, each row 223 is formed with a water drainage 250 The water outlets of these water drains are arranged so that water from one row enters the row below, and this up to the last row, i.e. the row nearest to the ground, where it will be necessary to provide a gutter below this row to allow the water to be drained to a collection point or to provide any other means of collecting and draining the water or to bring the water back to the highest row.

As can also be seen in Figure 27, each of the 223 rows is advantageously provided with a reservoir 260 for irrigation water, which allows irrigation to be carried out at longer intervals.

Figure 27 also shows that the front 230 and rear 235 walls are arranged at their respective upper and lower edges so that when two modules are mounted one above the other, the lower edge of the upper module covers the upper edge of the lower module.

In practical terms, as shown in Figure 27, the rear wall 235 comprises an upper edge 241 formed in the same plane as the one defined by wall 235 and the front wall 230 comprises a lower edge 242 formed in a plane parallel and forward to a plane of assembly of the front and rear walls.

This design is of course valid in a similar way when the modules or at least the rows are made in one piece.

Although Figure 27 shows module 212 with two rows 223 connected by at least one water drain, it goes without saying that when a module 212 has only one row 223, the water drain can be designed and arranged on the module so that the water does not necessarily flow out from the bottom of the row but, for example, through an opening in part 236 of one of the side walls 233.

Whereas Figure 25 represents the device of the invention with four modules 212 mounted on a flat support 218, Figure 26 represents the same device mounted on a support 218A conformed to receive insulation material.

The support 218A is formed, like the support 218, as a thick body or panel, compared to the thickness of the walls of the device 212. The support 218A also includes, as opposed to the support 218, three ribs 219 for the fixing of the device at a distance from the support. The space thus created between the back wall 235 of the module 212 and the support 218A allows a panel of thermal and/or sound insulating material 300 to be housed between the support and the device.

In practical terms, where the support is, for example, a wall to be decorated, the ribs are rails, studs or any other suitable element to enable the modules of the device of the invention to be mounted at a distance from the wall.

Whereas most of the embodiments of the device described above and shown in the drawings relate to the application of the invention to a surface such as a wall in a room or a building façade, the device shown in Figures 23 and 24 is designed to serve as a fixed or movable separation of spaces with plants on either side of the device.

In one variant shown in Figure 35, the device is made so that it can serve as a fixed or movable separation of spaces with plants on both sides of the device but without support between the two sides. The device, referenced 410, consists of four 412 modules superimposed on each of the two opposite sides, formed by a front wall 430 and a back wall 435, a row of openings 424 through which plants can be introduced and planted in the device. Thus, each of the two walls can be regarded indifferently as a front wall or a back wall. In addition, the modules 412 can be designed without or with a module too full.

The device according to the present invention is modular in design, so that it is possible to cover surfaces of all dimensions and with variable geometries. To this end, the modules are formed in such a way that they can be assembled with each other by overlapping their corresponding upper, lower and lateral edges when they cover or form a flat surface.

However, when the device of the invention is used as a space separator and the separation is not, or not entirely, in a straight line, the modules or assemblies of modules must nevertheless be capable of being connected to each other.

The connection between modules or assemblies of modules is then made by means of articulating elements, of which Figures 36 and 37 show only two examples.

As shown in Figure 36, four sets of 200A to 200D each comprising two overlapping modules 212 are connected by hinges, each of which is formed by four solid tubes on each side of the modules and by a 274 rod through the tubes. Thus, each set of modules includes on the left side two rear 271 tubes and two front 272 tubes and on the right side two unrepresented and thus unreferenced rear tubes and two front 273 tubes. The tubes on the left side and the tubes on the right side are arranged at a height offset from each other to form solid tubes as follows.

The choice of tubes 271 to 273 to be connected is made according to the direction of the joint to be made. In the example shown, the 200A assembly is connected to the 200B assembly by hinges formed by the unreferenced (because not represented) rear tubes on the right side of the 200A assembly and the 271 rear tubes on the left side of the 200B assembly to form an opening angle to the rear of the device. The 200B and 200C assemblies are connected to each other by both the rear tubes and the front tubes to be kept aligned on each other.

The example in Figure 37 differs from Figure 36 in that the tubes forming the hinges are arranged in the middle of the side faces of the assemblies or modules 212A, 212B. Thus, modules 212A and 212B have a tube 281 on their left side and a tube 282 on their right side. The tubes 281 and 282 are arranged at different levels so that they can be assembled to form hinges. When assembly 212A is connected to assembly 212B, tube 282 of assembly 212A and tube 281 of assembly 212B form the hinge 280 together with a rod 283 running through the two tubes.

Figures 38A, 38B represent, as the last embodiment of the invention, a decorative arrangement which is, for example, part of street furniture and intended to be placed, for example, at the entrance to a city or park.

The decorative arrangement consists of a device of the invention with 12 modules mounted on a metal frame with a 618 frame sealed in the ground. The decorative arrangement is completed by a mast 619 placed next to the device of the invention and bearing 620 sheets and a 621 panel indicating the name of the city or park. As shown in Figure 38B, the device of the invention may include 12 modules on one or both sides of the 618 frame.

Claims (12)

1. A device (10) for a vertical or angled arrangement for the hydroponic cultivation of plants (16), comprising at least one module (12) determining an inner volume (14) designed to receive at least one nutritional substrate and plants, and delimited by a front wall (30) and a back wall (35) secured to the front wall (30), at least the front wall (30) being provided with at least one opening (24) for the passage of the plants and at least one of the front wall (30) and rear wall (35) including a fastening area (43, 44) provided for the fastening of the module (12) to a support (18, 118), characterized in that at least one from among the front wall (30) and the back wall (35) includes overlapping edges (41, 42, 43, 44) making it possible, when the device is installed in a plant roof or plant wall including at least two adjacent modules (12), for the modules to overlap at least partially in the roof or wall.
2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the back wall (35) includes vertical stops (41A) protruding toward the front to allow the upward bearing of a lower edge (42) of a module (12) positioned adjacent thereto.
3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the back wall (35) includes a substantially horizontal partitioning rib (60), protruding in the inner volume (14).
4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the partitioning rib (60) is positioned slightly below the lower edge of the opening (24).
5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it includes a water drain (75, 76) emerging in a lower part of the inner volume.
6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the water drain (75, 76) extends in the lower edge (42) of the module (12), the lower edge (42) to that end including at least one front notch (76).
7. The device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that it includes a gutter (100) for recovering water passing through the water drain (75, 76).
8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the gutter (100) is integrated into the lower edge (42) by a suitable stepping of the lower edge (42) of the front wall (30).
9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it includes a water intake opening (36) between the front wall (30) and the back wall (35).
10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it includes a water reserve (90) positioned between the front wall (30) and the back wall (35).
11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the water reserve is formed by a removable reservoir (94).
12. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, with a movable support (118), characterized in that the device is provided with side connecting means (271, 272, 273) suitable for being able to form articulated links, when two modules (12) or sets of modules are assembled horizontally.