Greenhouse

Abstract

A closure assembly for a greenhouse has a first piece connectable to the roof, and a second piece connectable to the wall. The first piece is connectable to the second piece to form a pivotable joint therebetween for forming a joint between the roof and the wall. A shading system extends between purlins mounted over roof rafters, and vent screens and vent operators are mounted below glazing bars extending over the purlins.

1 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 a plurality of walls; and    a closure comprising 
 a first piece connectable to a first wall and comprising a first joint component, and  
 a second piece connectable to a second wall and comprising a second joint component, the second joint component being connectable to the first joint component to form a pivotable joint therebetween, the pivotable joint comprising a joint between the first wall and the second wall.  
   
   
   
       2 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 a wall;    a roof supported above the wall; and    a closure comprising 
 a first piece connectable to the roof and comprising a first joint component, and  
 a second piece connectable to the wall and comprising a second joint component, the second joint component being connectable to the first joint component to form a pivotable joint therebetween, the pivotable joint comprising a joint between the roof and the wall.  
   
   
   
       3 . The greenhouse of  claim 2  wherein the first joint component of the first piece comprises a socket-type component, and the second joint component of the second piece comprises a pin-type component.  
   
   
       4 . The greenhouse of  claim 2  wherein in the first piece comprises a first connector and the roof comprises a second connector connectable to the first connector for securing the first piece to the roof.  
   
   
       5 . The greenhouse of  claim 2  wherein the wall comprises a first connector and the second piece comprises a second connector connectable to the first connector for securing the second piece to the wall.  
   
   
       6 . The greenhouse of  claim 2  wherein the first piece and the second piece are extrusions.  
   
   
       7 . The greenhouse of  claim 2  wherein the roof comprises a roof glazing system and the first piece is connectable to the roof glazing system.  
   
   
       8 . The greenhouse of  claim 2  wherein the wall comprises a wall glazing system and the second piece is connectable to the wall glazing system.  
   
   
       9 . The greenhouse of  claim 2  wherein the roof is nonperpendicular to the wall and the first piece is connectable to the roof and the second piece is connectable to the wall.  
   
   
       10 . The greenhouse of  claim 2  wherein the roof is perpendicular to the wall and the first piece is connectable to the roof and the second piece is connectable to the wall.  
   
   
       11 . The greenhouse of  claim 2  wherein the wall comprises an upper end and the second piece comprises an interior gutter extending below the roof adjacent an upper end of the wall, the interior gutter system comprising a weep hole for directing water and condensate from the interior gutter system to an exterior of the greenhouse.  
   
   
       12 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 a first wall glazing system;    a second wall glazing system;    a closure comprising 
 a first piece connectable to the first wall glazing system and comprising a first joint component, and  
 a second piece connectable to the second wall glazing system and comprising a second joint component, the second joint component being connectable to the first joint component to form a pivotable joint therebetween, the pivotable joint comprising a joint between the first wall glazing system and the second wall glazing system.  
   
   
   
       13 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 a roof glazing system;    a wall glazing system;    a closure comprising 
 a first piece connectable to the roof glazing system and comprising a first joint component, and  
 a second piece connectable to the wall glazing system and comprising a second joint component, the second joint component being connectable to the first joint component to form a pivotable joint therebetween, the pivotable joint comprising a joint between the roof glazing system and the wall glazing system.  
   
   
   
       14 . An external trim piece for use with a greenhouse to form a joint between a wall and a roof of the greenhouse comprising: 
 a first piece adapted to be connectable to the roof and comprising a first joint component; and    a second piece adapted to be connectable to the wall and comprising a second joint component, the second joint component being connectable to the first joint component and forming a pivotable joint therebetween, the pivotable joint forming a joint between the roof and the wall.    
   
   
       15 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 a frame comprising at least two rafters;    at least two purlins extending over, and connected to, the at least two rafters;    a roof glazing system comprising at least one roof lite, the roof glazing system extending over, and connected to, the at least two purlins; and    a flexible material located above the at least two rafters and between the at least two purlins and movable to block and unblock light from the at least one lite of the roof glazing system.    
   
   
       16 . The greenhouse of  claim 15  wherein the flexible material is a shade material.  
   
   
       17 . The greenhouse of  claim 15  wherein the flexible material is a heat retention material.  
   
   
       18 . The greenhouse of  claim 15  further comprising a motor operably connected to the flexible material, the motor being operable to move the flexible material and block and unblock light from the at least one lite of the roof glazing system with the flexible material.  
   
   
       19 . The greenhouse of  claim 15  wherein the flexible material comprises lateral edges extending over upper surfaces of the rafters.  
   
   
       20 . The greenhouse of  claim 15  wherein the flexible material comprises lateral edges extending over, and resting against, upper surfaces of the rafters.  
   
   
       21 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 a frame comprising at least two rafters;    at least two purlins extending over, and connected to, the at least two rafters;    a roof glazing system extending over, and connected to, the at least two purlins, the roof glazing system comprising 
 two glazing bars, and  
 a vent movable with respect to the two glazing bars to open and close  
   a vent opening; and    a screen mounted below the glazing bars.    
   
   
       22 . The greenhouse of  claim 21  wherein the two glazing bars have respective lower surfaces and the screen is mounted against the respective lower surfaces.  
   
   
       23 . The greenhouse of  claim 22  further comprising a cover extending between the two glazing bars and the screen comprises: 
 a first pair of opposed edges mounted adjacent the two lower surfaces;    a third edge mounted adjacent one of the purlins; and    a fourth edge mounted adjacent the cover.    
   
   
       24 . The greenhouse of  claim 22  wherein the screen comprising: 
 a periphery; and    a screen mesh of a mesh size, the screen extending continuously and without an opening larger than the mesh size inside the periphery.    
   
   
       25 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 a frame comprising at least two rafters;    at least two purlins extending over, and connected to, the at least two rafters;    a roof glazing system extending over, and connected to, the at least two purlins, the roof glazing system comprising 
 two glazing bars, and  
 a vent movable with respect to the glazing bars to open and close a vent opening; and  
   a vent operator comprising an extendable drive operably connected to the vent and mounted above the rafters, the vent operator being operable to open and close the vent while maintaining an entirety of the extendable drive above the rafters.    
   
   
       26 . The greenhouse of  claim 25  wherein the extendable drive is a scissors extension arm.  
   
   
       27 . The greenhouse of  claim 25  wherein the vent operator is mounted to the two glazing bars.  
   
   
       28 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 at least two substantially vertical posts;    a wall glazing system extending over, and connected to, the at least two vertical posts, the wall glazing system comprising 
 two glazing bars, and  
 a wall vent movable with respect to the glazing bars to open and close  
   a wall vent opening; and    a wall vent operator mounted to the at least two vertical posts and comprising an extendable drive operably connected to the wall vent, the wall vent operator being operable to open and close the wall vent while maintaining an entirety of the extendable drive substantially between the vertical posts.    
   
   
       29 . The greenhouse of  claim 27  wherein the extendable drive is a scissors extension arm.  
   
   
       30 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 walls;    a roof glazing system mounted above the walls;    an interior gutter extending along an upper portion of the walls and below the roof glazing system, the interior gutter system comprising a weep hole for directing water and condensate from the interior gutter system to an exterior of the greenhouse.    
   
   
       31 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 a frame comprising 
 a lower frame, and  
 an upper frame connected to the lower frame;  
   a wall glazing system connected to the lower frame;    a roof glazing system connected to the upper frame;    a first piece connectable to the roof glazing system and having a first joint component;    a second piece connectable to the wall glazing system and having a second joint component pivotably connectable to the first joint component and connecting the wall glazing system with the roof glazing system; and    an interior gutter extending above the wall glazing system and below the roof glazing system, the interior gutter system comprising a weep hole for directing water and condensate from the interior gutter system to an exterior of the greenhouse.    
   
   
       32 . The greenhouse of  claim 31  wherein the second piece is integral with the interior gutter system.  
   
   
       33 . A greenhouse comprising: 
 vertical posts;    a wall glazing system extending over, and connected to, the at least two vertical posts,    rafters connected to the vertical posts;    at least two purlins extending over, and connected to, at least two rafters;    a roof glazing system comprising at least one roof lite, the roof glazing system extending over, and connected to, the at least two purlins,    a first closure comprising 
 a first piece connectable to the roof glazing system and comprising a first joint component, and  
 a second piece connectable to the wall glazing system and comprising a second joint component, the second joint component being connectable to the first joint component to form a pivotable joint therebetween, the pivotable joint comprising a joint between the roof glazing system and the wall glazing system.  
   
   
   
       34 . The greenhouse of  claim 33  wherein the first joint component of the first piece comprises a socket-type component, and the second joint component of the second piece comprises a pin-type component.  
   
   
       35 . The greenhouse of  claim 33  wherein the wall glazing system comprises an end wall glazing system and a side wall glazing system and the greenhouse further comprises: 
 a second closure comprising 
 a first piece connectable to the end wall glazing system and comprising  
   a first joint component, and 
 a second piece connectable to the side wall glazing system and comprising a second joint component, the second joint component being connectable to the first joint component to form a pivotable joint therebetween, the pivotable joint comprising a joint between the end wall glazing system and the side wall glazing system.  
   
   
   
       36 . The greenhouse of  claim 33  further comprising a flexible material located above the rafters and between the at least two purlins and movable to block and unblock light from the at least one lite of the roof glazing system.  
   
   
       37 . The greenhouse of  claim 36  wherein the flexible material comprises lateral edges extending over, and resting against, upper surfaces of the rafters.  
   
   
       38 . The greenhouse of  claim 33  wherein the roof glazing system comprises two glazing bars and a roof vent movable with respect to the glazing bars to open and close a roof vent opening, and the greenhouse further comprises a screen for the roof vent opening mounted below the glazing bars.  
   
   
       39 . The greenhouse of  claim 38  wherein the two glazing bars have respective lower surfaces and the screen is mounted against the respective lower surfaces.  
   
   
       40 . The greenhouse of  claim 38  further comprising a roof vent operator comprising an extendable drive operably connected to the roof vent and mounted above the rafters, the roof vent operator being operable to open and close the roof vent while maintaining the entirety of the extendable drive above the rafters.  
   
   
       41 . The greenhouse of  claim 40  wherein the extendable drive is a scissors extension arm.  
   
   
       42 . The greenhouse of  claim 33  wherein the wall glazing system comprises two glazing bars and a wall vent movable with respect to the two glazing bars to open and close a wall vent opening, and the greenhouse further comprises a vent operator mounted to the at least two vertical posts and comprising an extendable drive operably connected to the wall vent, the vent operator being operable to open and close the wall vent while maintaining an entirety of the extendable drive substantially between the vertical posts.  
   
   
       43 . The greenhouse of  claim 42  wherein the extendable drive is a scissors extension arm.  
   
   
       44 . The greenhouse of  claim 33  wherein the wall glazing system comprises an upper end and the second piece comprises an interior gutter extending below the roof glazing system adjacent the upper end of the wall glazing system, the interior gutter system comprising a weep hole for directing water and condensate from the interior gutter system to an exterior of the greenhouse.