NL2012078C2

NL2012078C2 - Crate, control unit for a crate, stack of crates and method for operating these.

Info

Publication number: NL2012078C2
Application number: NL2012078A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Kees Wilhelmus Petrus Aarts
Original assignee: Kees Wilhelmus Petrus Aarts
Priority date: 2014-01-13
Filing date: 2014-01-13
Publication date: 2015-07-16
Also published as: WO2015105426A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a crate (1) for forming a vertical farming stack, comprising a bottom wall (2); a number of side walls (16,17,18,19), extending essentially perpendicular from the bottom wall (2), and defining a holding space for a plant, fruit or other organic matter; wherein the crate (1) is arranged to be directly stackable with a similar or like crate (1); and the bottom wall (2) comprises at least one farming climate control unit (13) holding space. The invention further relates to a control unit (13) for use with a crate (1), comprising a control unit body, a processor (13a), lighting means (13b) and connecting means for an electric power source. The invention further relates to a method for growing plants.

Description

Crate, control unit for a crate, stack of crates and method for operating these

The present invention relates to so called vertical farming or m3-farming as opposed to surface farming or m2-farming. Vertical farming as such is known in the art, and is a way to use - in particular in house - surfaces more efficiently for farming purposes.

In general, a floor area or a hall is provided with racks, as to increase the effective surface for growing plants. These plants are grown in pots or crates that are put on the racks, and the racks are provided with light sources and other essentials for the growth, like climatological aspects (air volume, humidity, temperature and gas composition control).

An example of a light system for this purpose is the Philips “Horti” solution and Plantlab systems, wherein LED armatures are provided for providing growing light for plants, such as tomatos, lettuce and other fruits and vegetables.

The solutions according to the art fulfil a certain need, but they have disadvantages too. In particular, the need for racks and light constructions are cost-inefficient, laborious, and inflexible. This goes for both the racks, as the lighting systems proposed so far.

It is a goal of the present invention to take away the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative.

The invention thereto proposes a crate for forming a vertical farming stack, comprising a bottom wall, a number of side walls, extending essentially perpendicular from the bottom wall, and defining a holding space for a plant, fruit or other organic matter; wherein the crate is arranged to be directly stackable with a similar or like crate; and the bottom wall comprises at least one farming climate control and energy unit holding space.

The crate according to the invention is designed such that it facilitates the growth of various plants, fruits and other organic matter. A suitable format is a standard format like 800 mm x 600 mm x height or 400 mm x 600mm x height and that be stacked on top of each other. Stacking may preferably be directly or the crates can be designed such that they are nestable and stackable or by adding a ‘stacking’ layer. The latter solution offers a second way to produce the crates nestable, lowering cost of transport. The use of standard formats enables the use of existing handling equipment. Sizes of the crates can be different from a design point of view resulting in other dimensions and shapes.

The bottom of each crate comprises at least one farming climate control unit holding space. In this space, a farming climate control unit can be placed; a ‘smart’ cassette or module that holds the intelligence to grow the medium underneath.

The smart module is placed in the bottom of the crate and is directed to the crate below. The bottom crate of a stack does not have a module and the uppermost crate is covered with a plate holding a module to act on the uppermost crate. Such plate may be a bottom wall of a crate according to the invention. For that purpose the bottom wall and the side walls may be separate parts.

Advantages of the present invention, next to the flexibility are a lower cost of vertical farming as opposed to current technologies wherein full scale structures are built around the plant/fruit of interest.

Furthermore, inside each crate various plants and fruit can be grown. Therefore, in a further embodiment, the bottom wall further comprises at least one seed tablet or seedling tablet holding space. Plants and fruits may be delivered in fixed size tablets holding either seeds or seedlings. The tablets itself are made of a material that holds the nutrients for the growth. The tablets may be made of a material holding both seed or seedling and nutrients for growth. Only water needs to be added once placed in the crate in such case.

Within the bottom wall there are several structural options. It can be a flat plate in which you randomly place tablets holding seeds. It is also possible to make use of preformed compartments or mounting units. The mounting units are basically preformed openings in the bottom in which a structural element can be mounted by a clicking frame that fixes the structural component.

The farming climate control unit holding space or the seed tablet or seedling tablet holding space may comprise means for anchoring the control unit, the seed tablet or the seedling tablet, such as clicking means, or other locking means.

The invention further relates to a control unit for use with a crate according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a control unit body, carrying a processor, lighting means, and possibly sensors and actuators, coupled to and controllable by the processor and connecting means for an electric power source. The smart module may be configured for sensing what is happening in the crate below regarding the growth of the organic matter (plant or fruit or other organic growing means). Sensing can be done invasive (like a temperature probe) or non-invasive (like optical camera’s, lasers, air volume and speed measurement and so on). The module is equipped with a processor and can execute programs related to the growth medium of interest. Programs can be light protocols, temperature and moist controls.

The control unit is adapted to be coupled with the crate by means of a clicking system or any other suitable mounting means. The control unit and the crate are designed for mutual cooperation, such that in use, a control unit placed illuminate the contents of a crate below the crate it is mounted to.

The connecting means for an electric power source may be arranged for coupling to a mains or an external power rail or for interconnection with other crates in the stack, or, an integrated battery coupled to the connecting means may be present, forming the source.

The control unit may further comprise communication means, such as WiFi or other means for use in an IP network, a radio or data emitter and receiver, or an RFID tag. With the IP network, control signals can be sent to the crate, or monitoring signals can be received from the crate, for instance with the use of a mobile phone. In large scale systems (complete wharehouse structure and approach) central computing can be used to optimize growth sensing and steering / control protocols.

The lighting source may be a single colour or multi coloured, low, medium or high power LED with single, pre-set colours or dynamic colours. Other wavelength based sources can be possible too like near Infrared sources, X-ray sources and so on. The colours and an illumination scheme may be programmable in order to adapt the unit for the growth of various plants. The lighting means may further serve as a heat source for the plants, or a separate heat source may be incorporated in the unit. Also, at least one sensor from the group of a temperature sensor, a moist sensor, an IR or optical camera may be present.

The invention further relates to a stack of crates, provided with a control units, wherein, in particular, a cover plate may be present, arranged on the uppermost crate carrying the control unit for the uppermost crate. The invention provides the advantage that the stacked crates can be individually controlled to measure, shine light or control an environment. The control unit is told what it has underneath and a program is started that is related to the plant or fruit, wherein parameters as lighting intensity, on/off cycles, a colour program, a water program and a harvest moment are controlled.

Herewith direct optimization of the growth process due to measurement and control systems at crate level is obtained. Existing buildings can be used this way for large scale vertical farming without significant changes to the building and its surrounding infrastructure. Home-grow systems with a high grade of digitalisation wherein seeds can be delivered inside the soil medium, smartphone based steering of crate intelligence and smart monitoring of yields.

The invention further relates to a method for growing plants, comprising the steps of providing a stack of crates with control units, placing at least one tablet containing a prefabricated plate of earth/soil in which seeds are present in at least one crate, providing growing information for the tablet to the control unit and providing the growth requirements by the unit to the crate.

Providing growing information for the tablet to the control unit may be done by providing machine readable information on the tablet, and using reading means of the control unit to interpret this information when placing the tablet in a crate.

Growth requirements may be how much (and often) water has to be added, what the expected growth profile is and what harvesting looks like. Furthermore, the location of each tablet may be registered via the communication means of the control unit. Then a central computer can monitor progress and give off signal if stack of crates or individual crates can be picked up for adding water or charging batteries or other intermediate processes, harvesting, emptying, cleaning and reuse.

The invention may be used for growing Lettuce, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Pumpkins, Cucumbers, Wheat grass, Grasses, Seedlings, Leek, Fennel, Strawberries, herbs, aquatic vegetables and so on.

The invention will now be elucidated into more detail with reference to the following figures. Herein:

Figure 1 shows a bottom view of a crate according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a perspective top view of a crate according to the invention; Figure 3 shows a stack of crates according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a crate according to the invention; and

Figure 5 shows two stacks of crates according to an alternative embodiment the invention.

Figure 1 shows a bottom view of a crate 1 according to the invention, for forming a vertical farming stack, comprising a bottom wall 2, wherein the bottom wall comprises at least one farming climate control unit 13 holding space 3. The bottom wall further comprises four seed tablet or seedling tablet holding spaces 4, 5, 6, 7, in the embodiment shown each provided with an (optional) gause. The farming climate control unit holding space or the seed tablet or seedling tablet holding space comprises (non depicted) means for anchoring the control unit, the seed tablet or the seedling tablet 12, such as clicking means. The seed tablet or seedling tablet holding space is formed by a through hole, which is provided with a sealing means 8, 9, 10, 11 for sealing an engagement area of the tablet holding space 4, 5, 6, 7 and a tablet 12.

Also visible in the figure is a control unit 13, comprising a control unit body, carrying a processor 13a and lighting means 13b, coupled to and controllably by the processor and connecting means for an electric power source. The control unit 13 can be connected to the crate in several ways, and one control unit may be coupled to multiple crates, as depicted in area 14, where control unit 15 can be mounted. In the same way, embodiments may exist wherein one crate may comprise multiple control units. If control unit 13 does not comprise a power source, or if the power source needs recharging from time to time, power may be supplied by the (optional) power supply lines 13c and 13d, which are arranged such, that they connect corresponding power lines of a precedent or next crate in the stack.

Figure 2 shows the crate from figure 1, wherein a number of side walls 16, 17, 18, 19 is visible, extending essentially perpendicular from the bottom wall, and defining a holding space for a plant, fruit or other organic matter, wherein the crate is arranged to be directly stackable with a similar or like crate.

Figure 3 shows such a stack, of crates 1, 1’ and l”with respective control units 13’, 13” and 13”’, wherein the latter is carried by a top plate 20, arranged on crate Γ”. An empty crate may be used instead as well as a top crate.

Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the crate according to the invention, having seat tablet holding spaces that are formed - instead of openings - by upwardly facing protrusions. These protrusions serve to place plants that have different root growth and orientation. This way it facilitates downward growing plants or vegetables.

Figure 5 shows two stacks of crates according to an alternative embodiment the invention. In the first stack 31 the crates are placed on top of each other, in the second stack 32 they are put besides each other. The crates are provided with three inwardly faced protrusions 33 at a first side, and two inwardly faced protrusions 34 at a second side. In the stack 31, the crates alternatingly oriented, so that their respective protrusions rest on each other, in the stack 34 the crates are likewise oriented, so that they nest.

Claims

A crate for forming a vertical culture stack, comprising: A bottom; A number of side walls, which extend substantially perpendicularly from the side wall, and define a receiving space for a plant, fruit or organic material, wherein: The crate is arranged to be directly stackable with the same or similar crate; and The soil has at least one culture climate control unit recording site.

The crate of claim 1, wherein the bottom has at least one seed tablet or seed tablet receiving site.

The crate of claim 1 or 2, wherein the culture climate control unit recording site or the seed tablet recording site has anchoring means for anchoring the weekly climate control unit or the seed tablet, such as click means.

The crate of claim 3, further comprising sealing means for sealing an interface of the seed tablet receiving spot and the seed tablet.

Crate as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, comprising seed tablet receiving spots formed by upwardly directed protrusions.

A crate according to any one of the preceding claims, arranged to be stacked with a similar crate in at least a first orientation, wherein the crates are stacked, and at least a second orientation in which the crates collapse.

Control device for use with a crate according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: - a control device housing, bearing: - a processor; - lighting means, coupled to and controllable by the processor; - connecting means for an electrical power source.

8. Control device as claimed in claim 7, comprising an integrated battery, coupled to the connecting means for an electrical power source.

Control unit according to claim 7 or 8, comprising communication means, such as WiFi, a radio or data transmitter and receiver, RFID.

The control unit according to any of claims 7-9, wherein the light source is a single or multi-color, low, medium or high power LED with a single color, preset colors or dynamic colors or another wavelength based light source.

11. Control unit as claimed in any of the claims 7-10, comprising at least one sensor, in particular an invasive and / or non-invasive sensor from the group of: a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor, an IR or optical camera.

12. Control unit according to one of the preceding claims 7-11, comprising at least one actuator, such as a water delivery unit.

A stack of at least one crate according to any of claims 1-6 and a control unit according to any of claims 7-12.

14. Stack according to claim 13, comprising a lid placed on the upper crate, the lid carrying the upper crate control unit.

A method for growing plants, comprising the steps of: - Providing a stack of crates according to claim 14; - placing at least one tablet comprising a prefabricated plate of soil, in which seed is present in at least one crate; Providing growth information for the tablet to the control unit; Provide the growth requirements by the control unit.

The method of claim 15, comprising registering a link between the crate and the tablet on a computer device or a mobile device.

A warehouse, comprising a number of stacks according to claim 13 or 14, and an automated central control and monitoring device configured for communication with control units of the crates.