FI84968C - Arrangements and procedures for moving plant units and regulating their mutual spaces - Google Patents

Description

84968 Arrangement and method for moving growth units and adjusting their spacing

Arrangements and conditions of operation of the air and other parts of the body.

The invention relates to a plant cultivation arrangement having a substrate structure, a plurality of suitably open plant cultivation cavities arranged in common gutter members movably disposed on the substrate, and transfer means for moving the gutter members substantially transverse to the dimension of the individual gutter members. The invention also relates to a method for moving crop troughs and / or adjusting the distance between them according to the growth of the plants, in which the mutual spacing of the parallel troughs is changed by moving the troughs along the substrate.

Plant culture systems are already known in which individual plant units are placed side by side in cavities in gutter-like devices. In these arrangements, the plant nutrient is usually added as a solution directly to the trough.

Immediately after planting or sowing, the dimensions of the individual plants are quite reasonable, so that usually the troughs can be kept in parallel immediately. As the plants grow, they require more and more space around them, so that the parallel troughs have to be moved farther apart. Another reason for moving the troughs is that the preferred arrangement of the crop line often involves planting at one end of the track and harvesting at the other end of the track, respectively.

Numerous different solutions are known for said transfers. Thus, for example, a solution is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,618, in which the individual troughs move on the base under the action of a screw member whose thread pitch continuously increases. The disadvantage of this equipment is the technically quite difficult 2 84968 screw solution, in addition to which the distance between the individual gutters on the base is precisely tied to the properties of the screw. Thus, it is difficult to change the gutter gaps to meet the needs of, for example, another plant species.

The Norwegian publication 149527 again discloses a solution in which the troughs rest on successive moving belts. In this case, the distance between the troughs can be adjusted when the troughs move from one belt to another by adjusting the movement speeds of the belts to be different from each other. The downside of this solution is e.g. that the gutters settle on each belt at constant intervals, which makes flexible cultivation cumbersome. The use of several belts still requires several, separately controlled motors.

GB patent application 2077082 discloses a gutter arrangement in which parallel gutters move from a start or planting point to an end or harvesting point with a belt, whereby nutrients are added to the gutters along the distance. In this solution, the spacing of the individual troughs is adjusted manually, so that the proportion of handicrafts in this cultivation method becomes considerably large.

Finnish publication 72029 again discloses a solution in which gutters sliding on a platform are moved one by one | pull sideways to a new location using a gutter gripping device. The transfer device moves back and forth along the platform and always picks up a new single chute, which it moves to the desired location. The device operates automatically in such a way that, independently of the control of the automation, the device takes the gutter one at a time and moves it to the desired position, whereby both the start and end points are determined by the sensor indications. According to the principle of operation of the device, the transfer means has to move quite long distances on average, from which the return journey is usually performed without a load.

An essential downside to this device is its slowness, as moving each chute requires the device to be reciprocated li 3 84968. Speed increase, on the other hand, is limited because gutters and plants as such cannot withstand high transfer rates. Since the device still operates in greenhouse conditions, the automation controlling the device and especially the alignment sensors located at different parts of its track require special durability characteristics, so the sensitivity of the sensors and thus their detection time is correspondingly relatively long, which also affects the processing speed.

In practice, the slow operation of the latter equipment in larger farms often results in it not being recorded that all gutters will be moved in one shift. On the other hand, the device, despite the automatic operation, must be monitored quite closely, because, for example, the leaves of already cultivated plants in the vicinity of the organ catching the gutter may lead to a malfunction and stop of the device.

The object of our invention is to provide an arrangement in which an individual arrangement of plants on a substrate is possible without the above-mentioned drawbacks. According to the invention, this is solved as set out in the appended claims. Thus, the invention is characterized in that the transmission interval - ;. ·; they comprise parallel, trough-to-trough: *: cooperating grippers and / or gripper rows for moving a plurality of optional trough members of an array of adjacent troughs simultaneously on the platform at substantially the same location and / or another location on the platform. In this case, the distance between the parallel grippers and / or the gripper rows can be changed during the transfer, suitably so that the distance between the grippers and / or the gripper strings adapts to the distance between the trough members waiting to be transferred and the desired distance between the troughs after transfer.

According to the method of the invention, the transfer means comprising the parallel gripping rows are made to grip several parallel chutes substantially once at a time - 4: 8,868, whereby after gripping the distance between the parallel gripping strings is adjusted to correspond to the desired chute spacing.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic front view of one row of grippers of a transfer device according to an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a parallel gripper assembly of the device of Figure 1, and

Fig. 3 schematically shows a side view of a gripper arrangement according to another embodiment of the device according to Fig. 1.

Figure 1 shows a gripper string 1 of a transfer device according to the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the transfer device comprises successive grippers 1a in the longitudinal direction of the trough. . . le, which together form a series of grippers 1. The individual grippers are devices according to the prior art and are suitably suspended in a support rail (not shown) above the base (not shown) in the embodiment shown. Each gripper row 1 is adapted to grip one (not shown) conventional cultivation chute.

Figure 1 also shows the working cylinders 7A adapted to raise and lower the gripper positions of the transfer device. . . 7C, which are preferably arranged so that all the grippers of the transfer device can be made to grip the respective troughs simultaneously. In another embodiment, there are further gripper-specific and / or gripper-specific lifting or pivoting means with which one or more gripper strings can be moved out of the gripping position. This embodiment is advantageous especially when the number of parallel gripping rows in the transfer device is in the mouth and still it is desired to pick up only a few of the adjacent chutes.

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In Fig. 2, the gripper strings are illustrated from the side, with only the first grippers IA and 2A, respectively, of the parallel gripper strings 1, 2. Figure 3 shows 3 parallel gripper rows, i.e. it also shows the gripper 3A of the grippers IA and 2A. As a whole, each row of grippers 1, 2, 3 is always able to grip one ground chute at a time. Preferably, the individual parallel grippers IA, 2A, 3A of each row of grippers 1, 2 and 3 are combined into a gripper arrangement 4, and the other grippers form the gripper assemblies 5 and 6 shown in Fig. 1, respectively. If the number of parallel gripper rows increases, it is advantageous to place each gripper assembly on several lifting cylinders 7.

In the embodiments according to Figures 2 and 3, each gripper assembly suitably has one gripper fixed relative to the arrangement and at least one, suitably a plurality of grippers which can be moved individually or in groups relative to it, the different gripper assemblies 4, 5, 6 The grippers located in Fig. 3 are arranged to move synchronously.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the gripper string 1 is fixed, whereby the gripper string 2 moves along the slide rail 9 under the control of the toothed belt Θ specific to the gripper assembly. The toothed belt 8 is placed on two gears 10, 11, the respective drive gears 10 of all the gripper assemblies 4, 5, 6 in the illustrated embodiment being connected from one assembly to another via a rotating shaft 12. In this case, one rotation motor 13 adjusts the positions of all the grippers 2A ... 2C in the movable gripper row 2 to the correct position. The adjustment is preferably performed by means of a pulse sensor which follows the rotation of the shaft. If there are several movable gripper strings 2, 3, string-specific belt means for moving each gripper string are suitably arranged as described above.

6 84968.

The queue-specific actuators make it possible to adjust the mutual spacing of the different gutters of the simultaneously movable gutter group differently as required. For example, when growing different plants with different space needs side by side, such as lettuce requiring a relatively large space requirement and chives requiring a relatively small space requirement, it is advantageous that the spaces between the troughs can be individually adjusted.

In organic cultivation, the device according to the invention can advantageously be used in the cultivation of biological pesticides between the actual commercial plants. In this case, the biological control plant is often a plant requiring less space and is either sold separately or reused several times, allowing the transfer device grippers to be adjusted to pick up certain selected troughs from the trough group and move them back to the beginning of the field.

Slow-growing seedlings can also be grown between fast-growing plants, so that the grippers can be adjusted to pick up certain troughs from the group of troughs and take them back -: for example to the beginning or middle of the field for a second stage, where the second stage may require more space than the first stage. With the device according to the invention, such a change in space requirements required by a certain trough can also be taken into account.

If the number of parallel gripper rows 1, 2, 3 is very large, a solution can also be applied in which each gripper assembly 4, 5, 6 has gripper-specific transfer means arranged synchronously to move, for example working cylinders 14 or motor assemblies. The control preferably utilizes the processor mentioned below, which monitors each transmission.

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When using the device, the entire transfer device is driven to the group of chutes to be moved. The gutter group then consists of adjacent gutters. The transfer device grips all the gutters in the group at the same time, or in some cases only by selecting other gutters. After gripping, the transfer device is suitably capable of performing three transfer functions:

First, the transfer device can grip all the gutters in the group of shells, after which the mutual spacing of the gutters is changed while the group remains substantially in place. Second, the transfer device can grip the entire array and move it to a free position on the substrate that is substantially at a different point than where the array was at the beginning of the transfer, thereby simultaneously resizing the gaps to the desired size. Said transfer operations can take place either in connection with lifting or sliding on the platform. Thirdly, the device is able to grip the selected gutters in the gutter field and, in this case, always lifting them, to move them to a new location, for example as an extension of the thinned gutter group or at the beginning of the crop field, respectively.

Continuous cultivation usually takes place in such a way that each trough, on the other hand, moves along the substrate from the planting point to the harvesting point, whereby the intermediate spaces between the troughs are simultaneously grown. In this case, new gutters are always added to the planting head and the emptied gutters at the harvesting head are removed accordingly.

In conventional cultivation, the operation of the device is thus suitably based on causing the transfer means to move the selected troughs from the gripping point, suitably to the next free point, whereby the free points on the substrate are generally formed at the harvesting head. The selected troughs then consist of those troughs which are located immediately behind the points released during the previous transfer when viewed from the harvesting end of the platform. Since the device is able to move several gutters at a time as described, the average distances traveled per gutter e 84968 remain short, whereby the transfer operation is relatively fast.

The distance of the parallel gripper rows is adjusted during and / or immediately after the transfer, and the grippers are removed from the chutes substantially simultaneously to the desired trough spacing, with the processor suitably providing both the correct trough spacing and release control at the desired free position. These mentioned points and trough distances depend on the characteristics of the plants and are thus generally predeterminable and programmable to the processor in a known manner.

As can be seen from the above, each row of grippers 1, 2, 3 in each case comprises grippers IA ... 1C, 2A operating along the trough member. . . 2C and 3A, respectively. . . 3C. The distance between the grippers of each row 1, 2, 3 is selected according to the length of the chute to be treated and the gripping distance required for the treatment. In the embodiment according to Figure 1, for the sake of simplicity, a sequence 1 comprising three successive grippers is described. If the gutters are very long or have a delicate structure, the number of grippers can be considerably larger.

- In the described case, the individual grippers of the successive gripper rows 1, 2, 3 form a gripper field in which the grippers in the transverse direction of the track are located substantially fixedly at predetermined points. In the direction of movement of the transfer means, again, all gripper strings 1, 2, 3 are substantially free to move according to the movement of the transfer means, with the exception of one gripper string suitably movable relative to the transfer means. In the direction of the path of movement of the transfer device, the spacing of successive gripping rows is then adjustable one at a time in accordance with the above-mentioned shaft system 11 or processor control.

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The preferred device, in particular shown in Fig. 3, has three gripper strings 1, 2, 3, the middle 1 of which is fixedly mounted with respect to the transfer means, and gripper strings 2, 3 on both sides thereof comprise grippers 2A movable with respect to the fixed gripper string 1. . . 2C, 3A. . . 3C. In operation, this preferred embodiment is used in such a way that the processor guides the transfer means to the gutters in the transfer shift and moves the movable grippers 2A. . . 2C, 3A. . . 3C with respect to the fixed row of grippers 1 so that their intermediate spaces correspond to the distance between the troughs on the base. After this, the grippers IA. . . 1C, 2A. . . 2C and 3A. . . 3C is made to simultaneously grip a movable gutter group comprising three gutters. Once the grippers have firmly gripped the troughs, the transfer device is used to transport the trough group under the control of the processor to a selected position fixed on the trough 1, then a toothed belt or other similar actuator is actuated to push the movable tongue strings 2, 3 the existing trough moves forward, while the last trough in the trough group moves backwards in the same direction from which it was imported. The pushing of the gutters is continued until the desired distance between the gutters is reached, at which point the drive under the control of the processor stops.

All grippers are then removed from contact with the chutes and the transfer device with its grippers is ready to pick up the next group of chutes.

Claims (8)

10,84968 The patent was claimed by et al A plant cultivation arrangement having a substrate structure, a plurality of suitably open plant cultivation cavities disposed in common gutter members movably disposed on the substrate, and at least one transfer device for moving the gutter members substantially transversely to the dimension of the individual gutter members, the transfer device comprises grippers (IA... 3A) which can be applied to optional groups of gutter members and / or grippers (IA. ..1C, 2A... 2C, 3A... 3C) cooperating with each other in a gutter-like manner extending successive rows of grippers (1, 2, 3) for moving several adjacent trough members at once on the platform, the mutual distance of the successive grippers (IA... 3A) and / or the gripping rows (1, 2, 3) being movable during the transfer, . Arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in. . in that each row of grippers (1, 2, 3) comprises a plurality of grippers (IA. ..1C, 2A... 2C, 3A... 3C) operating transversely to the direction of the path of movement of the transfer device, each acting along one chute member. Arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transfer device comprises a support rail which moves along the base and is suitably located above the base. A claim according to any one of the preceding claims. . 3, characterized in that one (1) of the parallel grippers (IA... 1C, 2A... 2C and 3A... 3C, respectively) formed transversely to the direction of movement of the transfer device is fixed relative to each other, and one or more rows (2, 3) are respectively arranged to move at least in the direction of movement of the transfer device. A claim according to any one of the preceding claims. . Arrangement according to Fig. 4, characterized in that the movable grippers (2A... 2C, 3A... 3C) are functionally connected in such a way that the spacing of the successive gripper rows (1, 2, 3) can be adjusted one at a time. A claim according to any one of the preceding claims. . Arrangement according to 5, characterized in that the spaces between successive gripper rows (1, 2, 3) are increased by moving at least one gripper string (2) backwards and at least one gripper string (3) forwards relative to the fixed gripper string (1). A method for moving crop troughs and adjusting the distance therebetween according to plant growth, wherein the mutual spacing of adjacent troughs is changed by moving the troughs transversely to their dimension along the substrate, characterized in that the individual grippers (1, 2, 3) of successive gripper rows (IA) .C. 1C, 2A... 2C, 3A... 3C) are made to grip the optional chutes of the chute group substantially simultaneously, and that after gripping the distance between successive gripper rows (1, 2, 3) is adjusted to correspond to the desired chute gap. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the transfer device is caused to move the selected gutters at a distance from the gripping point, that the distance of successive gripper rows (1, 2, 3) is adjusted during and / or immediately after transfer, and that grippers (IA. .1C, 2A... 2C, 3A... 3C) are removed from the gutters substantially simultaneously to locations at the desired gutter spacing. 12 Ö4968