JP2001037341A - Apparatus for washing seedling box - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for washing seedling boxes capable of stacking and placing the seedling boxes with the top downward in a seedling box carrying in part of the apparatus for washing the seedling boxes for washing the seedling boxes for hydroponics, thereby automatically transferring the seedling boxes from the seedling box in the lowermost stage one by one without mutually attracting the seedling boxes in the upper and lower stages, washing the seedling box with rotating brushes and water jetting nozzles and subsequently automatically stacking the seedling boxes in a seedling box housing part. SOLUTION: This apparatus 1 for washing seedling boxes W is obtained by installing detecting means of infrared sensors 16 and 16' and limit switches 17 and 17' capable of detecting the presence or absence of the seedling boxes W and an incorrect posture and stopping the operation of the apparatus 1 for washing the seedling boxes W in the case of emergency, arranging a stage separating device 18 for separating the seedling box W in the lowermost stage and the seedling box W in the second stage from the bottom to the upper and lower sides and further providing infrared sensors 32 and 32' for detecting the seedling boxes W, a seedling box lift 33 for pushing upward the seedling boxes W and placing pieces 36 for placing the seedling boxes on the plural stages in a seedling box housing part 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seedling box cleaning apparatus for system horticulture such as hydroponic cultivation, and provides an apparatus capable of performing smooth and effective cleaning corresponding to the form of a seedling box for hydroponic cultivation. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of conventional seedling box cleaning devices have already been used. However, it is mainly used for washing a nursery box for rice seedlings, and has a completely different effect from that for hydroponics, and cannot be used as it is for hydroponics.

[0003] Recently, especially in a vegetable supply base near a city, vegetables are produced by a hydroponic cultivation method, which can be called a vegetable production plant which produces a large amount of vegetables on a small land and raises profit. It is not much influenced by climate change, it saves manpower, it has good working conditions for workers, it is homogeneous in quality, it can be produced all year round, it has good hygiene and health as food,
It is expected to become more and more popular. Accordingly, hydroponic cultivation requires a water circulating device, an automatic transplanting device, a seedling box washing device, an automatic packing device, and the like, which are different from the open-field cultivation.

However, this field has only just begun, and a suitable apparatus for cleaning a seedling box has not yet been developed. For example, a nursery box cleaning machine disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-137092 (filed on 1997 November 13th, Release Date 1999/5
This is a washing machine for rice seedling raising boxes, and the seedling raising boxes are made of hard plastic,
Even if it is jet-washed, it will not be crushed, and since it has ventilation holes, even if you wash it with the opening facing upwards, water will not accumulate inside, but rice seedlings that have just adhered firmly The purpose of this method is to remove residual roots and dirt from jet cleaning and a powerful rotating brush without mechanical effort by using mechanical force.In the nursery boxes for rice seedlings, the number of cleaning treatments is not very large. It turns out that the method of supplying the nursery box to the machine is close to manual feeding.

[0005]

However, the seedling box in hydroponic cultivation has no ventilation holes, and the number of seedling boxes used in the hydroponic cultivation facility is enormous. It is a lightweight plastic product such as foamed plastic that can be transported in large quantities at a time, and the material is soft and easily broken, so a different creativity was required for the device for cleaning the seedling box. The present invention solves such a problem, has high cleaning efficiency, and
An object of the present invention is to provide a seedling box cleaning device in hydroponic cultivation that can effectively clean a seedling box.

[0006]

In order to achieve the object of the present invention, the invention according to claim 1 has a horizontal base 2, and one end 3 side of the base 2 is a parallel base. The upper part of one end 3 where the chain conveyors 12 and 12 for carrying the books are stretched is defined as a seedling box carry-in section 4, and rotating brushes 26, 26, 26, water jet nozzles 27 and 27, ...
, A brush motor 6 and a conveyor motor 7, respectively, and a washing chamber 5 is formed. On the other end 10 side of the base 2, two parallel belt conveyors 30 are extended. The upper part of the other end 10 side is a seedling box storage part 11, and when the seedling boxes W are inverted and stacked in a plurality of stages in the seedling box carry-in part 4, the seedling boxes W, W,. The seedlings W are washed one by one from the bottom by the carry-in chain conveyors 12 and 12 and sent to the washing room 5 for washing.
Is a seedling box cleaning device 1 characterized in that it is transported to the seedling box storage section 11 by the lead-out belt conveyors 30, and is sequentially stacked there.

The invention according to a second aspect is characterized in that the seedling box carrying-in section 4 is provided.
, Four holding frames 15, 15, 15, 15 for holding the seedling boxes W, W,... Sensors 16 and 16 'and limit switches 17 and 1 for detecting whether or not the posture of the plant is correct and stopping the operation of the seedling box cleaning device 1 if necessary.
7 ', an air cylinder 2 for vertically separating the lowermost seedling box W to be transferred and the second seedling box W to form a gap.
Lower box holders 19, 19 operated by 1, 22, 22 '
2. A seedling box cleaning apparatus 1 according to claim 1, further comprising a step separating device 18 comprising the step-up tools 20 and 20.
It is what it was.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the seedling box storage unit 1 is provided.
1 is provided with infrared sensors 32 and 32 'for detecting the arrival of the washed seedling box W in both corners of the other end 10, and is operated by an air cylinder 34 which pushes the detected seedling box W upward. Seedling box lift 33 is provided, and the seedling boxes W,
, Four vertical holding frames 35, 35,
When the seedling box W passes upward, it is flipped up, and when it has passed, returns to a horizontal position, and four mounting pieces 36, 36, 36 urged by a spring for mounting the seedling box W. , 36 are provided, and the seedling box cleaning device 1 according to claim 1 is provided.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A seedling box cleaning apparatus 1 according to the present invention will be described below.
Will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in the front view of the seedling box cleaning device 1 of FIG. 1, the invention according to claim 1 has a horizontal base 2, and one end 3 side of the base 2 is used for two parallel loading. The upper part of one end 3 where the chain conveyors 12 and 12 are stretched is used as a seedling box carrying-in part 4, and rotating brushes 26, 26, 26 and water jet nozzles 27, 27,. , A brush motor 6 and a conveyor motor 7 are respectively formed in the washing room 5, and the other end 10 side of the base 2 has two parallel belt conveyors 30 for leading out. The upper part of the other end 10 is provided as a seedling box storage part 11, and when seedling boxes W are inverted and stacked in a plurality of stages in the seedling box carrying-in part 4, the seedling boxes W, W,.
.. Are transferred to the washing room 5 by the carry-in chain conveyors 12 and 12 one by one from the bottom, where they are washed.
0, the seedling box cleaning device 1 is configured to be transferred to the seedling box storage section 11 and to be sequentially stacked there.

The seedling box W for hydroponic cultivation to be washed by the seedling box washing apparatus 1 of the present invention has no vent hole like a seedling raising box for rice seedlings. The seedling box cleaning device 1 places the seedling box W downward on the seedling box carrying-in section 4 and overflows the carrying chain conveyor. The transfer to the cleaning chamber 5 is performed by 12 and 12. Since the seedling box W for hydroponic cultivation is made of a light material and is handled in a large number, the seedling box W is stacked on a plurality of stages (20 boxes in the seedling box washing apparatus of the present invention) and brought into the seedling box. It was placed on the part 4.

Next, the operation of the seedling box cleaning apparatus 1 of the present invention will be described. First, the power switch 28 is turned on, and the seedling boxes W are stacked in a plurality of stages in the seedling box carrying-in section 4 upside down. The two carry-in chain conveyors 12 stretched between the sprockets 13 on the one end 3 side rotate, and the carry-in chain conveyors 12 are provided at regular intervals with seedling box carrying frames 14 (see FIG. 3). ) Is attached,
By hooking the trailing edge of the seedling box W, the seedling box W is automatically and sequentially conveyed to the washing room 5 one by one from the bottom seedling box W.
The seedling box W that has come out after washing in the washing room 5 is stretched between the pulleys 31 on the other end 10 side of the base 2 by two rotating parallel belt conveyors 30 for drawing out. It is conveyed to the seedling box accommodation part 11, and is stacked there. Below the base 2 of the washing room 5 is a drainage tray 9 which receives the washed sewage and drains it to an external drain. Also,
Adjacent to the cleaning room 5 and on the other end 10 side is the control
The box 8 includes an inverter (not shown) for adjusting the operation speed of the seedling box cleaning device 1 and an operation panel 29 having a power switch 28 and the like. The carry-in chain conveyor 12 and the take-out belt conveyor 30 operate by using a conveyor motor 7 installed at one corner in the washing room 5 as power.

In the washing room 5, a rotating brush 26 for washing the bottom of the seedling box W is provided above, and a rotating brush 26 for washing the inside of the seedling box is provided below. It is rotated by the drive of the brush motor 6. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, the side brushes 26 ', 26' are provided on both sides of the rotating brush 26 to wipe off dirt on the outer surface of the seedling box W. At the same time, there are water injection nozzles 27, 27,... At a plurality of locations inside the cleaning chamber W, and water for cleaning is injected to wash down the seedling box W.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the seedling box carrying-in section 4 includes seedling boxes W, W,. Four holding frames 15, 15, 15, 15 for holding are set up,
An infrared sensor 16 for detecting whether or not the posture of the seedling box W is correct, and stopping the operation of the seedling box cleaning device 1 if necessary;
16 'and limit switches 17, 17' are provided, and are operated by air cylinders 21, 22, 22 'which vertically separate the lowermost seedling box W to be conveyed from the second seedling box W to form a gap. Lower box holders 19, 19 and step-up tools 20, 2
2. A seedling box cleaning apparatus 1 according to claim 1, wherein a step separation device 18 made of zero is provided.

As described above, this seedling box cleaning device 1
In order to process a huge number of seedling boxes W requiring cleaning without inconvenience as much as possible, as long as the seedling boxes W are stacked and placed on the seedling box loading section 4 in a plurality of stages, the loading chain is thereafter used. The seedling box W is automatically conveyed to the washing room 5 by the conveyors 12 and 12, and the seedling box W is moved downward so that water does not accumulate inside the seedling box W and hinder washing. When the seedling boxes W are sent one by one from the lower tier to the washing chamber 5 by placing the seedling boxes W on the edge, the edge of the upper seedling box W is caught on the bottom of the lower tier, and the two seedling boxes W are put together in the washing chamber. It is necessary to prevent the seedling box W made of a soft material from being crushed by meshing at the entrance of the washing room 5 to enter the washing room 5.

Therefore, as described above, the infrared sensor (light emitting portion) 16 attached to one upper portion of the holding frame 15 of the seedling box carrying portion 4 and the infrared sensor (light receiving portion) attached below the seedling box carrying portion 4. Section 16 'detects that a plurality of stages of seedling boxes W have been placed in the seedling box loading section 4, and
When the lowermost seedling box W is mounted on the transport line in a horizontal normal posture by the limit switch 17 attached to the upper surface side of the base 2, the limit switch 17 is turned on and the step-off device 18 is operated. . When the seedling box W is in the wrong posture, the limit switch 17 is turned off, and the operation of the seedling box cleaning device 1 is stopped. The step-off device 18 includes a pair of lower box holders 19 and 19 and a step-up tool 2 on each side.
The lower box holders 19, 19 lightly contact the contact rollers 23, 23 on both sides of the lowermost seedling box W by the operation of the air cylinders 21, 21. Since the contact roller 23 rotates horizontally, it does not prevent the lowermost seedling box W from being transported to the washing room. Further, since the contact roller 23 is made of a material such as synthetic rubber, the seedling box W is not damaged.

At the same time as the lower box holders 19, the step-up members 20, 20 also operate. By the operation of the horizontally moving air cylinders 22, 22, the abutting portions 25 to which the cushioning material such as a synthetic rubber plate is attached press the second-stage seedling box W from below from both sides, Next, the air cylinders 22 ′ and 22 ′ that move up and down are operated, and the second seedling box W from the bottom is set for the time set for the time when the lowest seedling box W is transported to the washing room 5. Is lifted up and down. In this case, if the seedling box W does not land on the transport line in a horizontal normal posture, the limit switch 17 is turned off, and the seedling box W is prevented from entering the washing room 5 to prevent an accident. The operation of the box cleaning device 1 stops. The step-up tool 2
The periphery of 0, 20 is protected by box covers 24, 24.

Further, all the seedling boxes W placed in the seedling box loading section 4 are transferred to the washing room 5 and the seedling box storage section 11, and the infrared sensors 16, 16 'are transferred to the seedling box loading section 4 by the seedling box W. When it is no longer possible to detect the carry-in chain conveyor 12
The operation of the seedling box cleaning device 1 is stopped after counting three passing of the seedling box transporting tops 14 attached to the storage box. Each of the two transfer chain conveyors 12, 12 has a seedling box transfer frame 14, 14, 14 at a position obtained by dividing the circumference of the transfer chain conveyor 12 into three equal parts.
Are attached to the same position by three. in this way,
The reason that the seedling box W is set to stop at a time lag after the seedling box W cannot be detected in the seedling box carrying-in section 4 is to prevent the seedling box W from being turned off while the washing operation is still performed in the washing room.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, an infrared ray for detecting the arrival of the washed seedling box W at both corners of the other end 10 is provided in the seedling box housing portion 11. Sensor 3
2, 32 'are provided, and a seedling box lift 33 which is actuated by an air cylinder 34 which pushes up the detected seedling box W is provided, and holds the seedling boxes W, W,. The vertical holding frames 35, 35, 35, 35 of the book and the seedling box W are flipped up when passing upward, and are returned horizontally after the passing, and are urged by a spring for placing the seedling box W 4. Pieces 3
A seedling box cleaning apparatus 1 according to claim 1, wherein 6, 36, 36, 36 are provided.

When the arrival of the washed seedling box W is detected by the infrared sensors 32 and 32 ', a seedling box lift 33 having a substantially rectangular top plate pushes the seedling box W upward.
Hinge-shaped mounting pieces 36, 36, 36, 3 are respectively provided near the holding frames 35, 35, 35, 35 on the edge of the base 2.
When the seedling box W passes upward, the horizontal mounting piece 36 is flipped up. When the seedling box passes, the mounting piece 36 urged by a spring is placed in a horizontal state. The seedling box lift 33 is lowered and the seedling box W is also lowered to be placed on the placement pieces 36, 36, 36, 36,
This operation is repeated so that the seedling boxes W, W,.
Stack up to one. The seedling box W pushed up by the seedling box lift 33 even when a plurality of stages of seedling boxes W, W, ... are already placed on the mounting pieces 36, 36, 36, 36.
Pushes them up together and places them so that the seedling box W that has arrived is the lowest of the plurality. Stacked seedling boxes W
Is transferred to a trolley or the like and transported to each site. in this way,
This seedling box cleaning device 1 is for cleaning a huge seedling box W,
Each box can be cleaned without worrying about unnecessary care.

[0020]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, as described above,
When multiple seedling boxes are placed in the seedling box loading area, the seedling boxes are automatically transported one by one from the bottom to the washing room where they are washed, and the washed seedling boxes are automatically stacked in the seedling box storage section. Since the seedling box cleaning device is used, the cleaning operation can be automatically performed without using manual operation for one box and one box. Also, since the seedling box is placed facing downward for washing, the washing water does not overflow into the seedling box, and the sewage flows down constantly, so that the brush effect is good and the corner of the seedling box is good. Various stains can also be completely removed.

In the invention according to claim 2, a gap is formed in the seedling box carrying-in portion by vertically separating a lowermost step of the seedling box and a second step from the bottom, so that the seedling boxes are smoothly moved one box at a time from the lowermost step. A step-off device for the seedling box was provided so that it could be transported to the washing room.
In addition, an infrared sensor and limit switch are provided to detect the presence or absence of a seedling box and an incorrect posture of the seedling box, so that the seedling box does not mesh with the entrance of the washing room and is crushed, In order to prevent useless operation of the seedling box cleaning device,
Power is automatically turned off when needed. According to the third aspect of the present invention, as described above, by disposing the infrared sensor, the seedling box lift, and the mounting piece, the washed seedling boxes are sequentially stacked in the seedling box storage section from below. Thus, the same seedling box as the seedling box carrying-in section can be stacked in a plurality of stages (20 boxes in this seedling box cleaning device). Therefore, even if the worker carelessly leaves the holding place of the seedling box cleaning device, the washed seedling boxes are not scattered around.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a partially crushed cross section of a seedling box cleaning device of the invention according to claim 1;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a rotating brush for cleaning a seedling box of the invention according to claim 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state in which the step-up tool of the step-off device of the invention according to claim 2 is operated to lift the second-stage seedling box.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a lower box holding tool of the step separation device of the invention according to claim 2, wherein (a) is a side view in which a contact roller is in contact with a lowermost seedling box; (B) is a plan view showing a state where the contact roller is separated from the seedling box.

FIG. 5 shows that the seedling box is lifted up by the seedling box lift of the invention according to claim 3 to push up the horizontal placing piece, and the placing piece is returned to the horizontal again to place the seedling box thereon. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 W Seedling box 1 Seedling box cleaning device 2 Base 3 One end 4 Seedling box carry-in section 5 Washing room 6 Brush motor 7 Conveyor motor 8 Control box 9 Drainage receiver 10 Other end 11 Seedling box housing section 12 Chain conveyor for carrying in Reference Signs List 13 sprocket 14 seedling box transporting top 15 holding frame 16 infrared sensor (light emitting unit) 16 'infrared sensor (light receiving unit) 17 limit switch (upper) 17' limit switch (lower) 18 step-off device 19 lower box holder 20 Step-up tool 21 Air cylinder 22 Air cylinder 22 'Air cylinder 23 Contact roller 24 Cover 25 Contact part 26 Rotary brush 26' Side plate brush 27 Water injection nozzle 28 Power switch 29 Operation panel 30 Belt conveyor for derivation 31 pulley 32 infrared sensor (light emitting part) 32 'infrared Nsa mounting (light receiving portion) 33 seedling box lift 34 Air cylinder 35 holding frame 36 置片

Continuation of the front page F term (reference) 2B027 ND03 QA05 TC07 TC09 TC14 TC15 XA01 3B116 AA26 AB14 AB42 BA02 BA15 BA16 BB24 BB33 CD42 CD43

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A base (2) having a horizontal base (2).
At one end (3) is a seedling box carrying-in section (4) at the one end (3) side where two parallel carrying chain conveyors (12, 12) are stretched, and is placed on the base (2). In the center, a rotating brush (26, 26, 26) and a water injection nozzle (27, 2)
7, ...), brush motor (6), and conveyor
A cleaning chamber (5) for disposing a motor (7) is formed. On the other end (10) side of the base (2), two parallel belt conveyors (30, 30) for extending are extended. The other end (1
The seedling box (W) is placed in the seedling box carrying-in section (4) with a plurality of inverted seedling boxes (W). , W,...) From the lowest stage to the carry-in chain conveyor (12, 12).
The seedling boxes (W) that have been sent to the washing room (5) one by one and washed are washed, and the washed seedling boxes (W) are transferred to the belt conveyor (3).
The seedling box cleaning device (1), wherein the seedling box cleaning device (1) is configured to be conveyed to the seedling box storage section (11) by (0, 30) and sequentially stacked there. 2. A four holding frame (15, 15, 15) for holding seedling boxes (W, W,...) Mounted on a plurality of stages is provided in the seedling box carrying-in section (4). , 15) to detect the presence or absence of the seedling box (W) and whether the posture of the seedling box (W) is correct, and to stop the operation of the seedling box cleaning device (1) as necessary. An air for providing a gap by providing a sensor (16, 16 ') and a limit switch (17, 17') to vertically separate the lowermost seedling box (W) and the second seedling box (W) to be conveyed. · Lower box holders (19, 19) and step-up tools (20, 2) operated by cylinders (21, 22, 22 ')
The seedling box cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a step separating device (18) comprising (0). 3. The seedling box receiving section (11) has another end (1).
Infrared sensors (32, 32 ') for detecting the arrival of the washed seedling box (W) at both corners of (0) are provided, and an air cylinder () for pushing up the detected seedling box (W) upward. 3
4) a seedling box lift (33) operated in 4), and four vertical holding frames (35, 35, 35, 35) holding the plurality of stages of seedling boxes (W, W, ...); When the seedling box (W) passes upward, it is flipped up, and when the seedling box (W) has passed, it returns to the horizontal and the four mounting pieces (36, 36, 36) urged by the spring for mounting the seedling box (W). , 36), the seedling box cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: