JP2001352838A - Apparatus for cultivating plant using fluorescent lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for cultivating plants using fluorescent lamps capable of affording a lightweight structure convenient for transporting and assembling, reducing the height of an illuminating device, increasing the number of cultivation shelves, facilitating the operation in a cultivation room, reducing light energy for cultivating the plants and energy required for air conditioning, etc., and reducing the construction cost. SOLUTION: This apparatus for cultivating the plants is obtained by composing the illuminating unit 11 of a plurality of frame materials 12a, 12b, 13a and 13b, detachably connecting the mutual frame materials, detachably mounting sockets 20 for the fluorescent lamps 15 in the mutually opposite vertical frames 12a and 12b, mounting the plurality of fluorescent lamps 15 on the sockets 20, mounting stabilizers or inverters 17 on the suitable frame material 13a and mounting reflecting plates 25 and 26 composed of a high reflecting material or coated with a high reflecting agent on the illuminating unit 11 formed of the frame materials.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant cultivation apparatus using artificial light, and more particularly, to a plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is well known to use a fluorescent lamp as a plant cultivation apparatus using artificial light. In particular, when a plant is cultivated by providing a plurality of shelves in a vertical direction, a fluorescent lamp is usually used. Is used. As the fluorescent lamp, that is, a lighting device using a fluorescent tube, a ready-made lighting device is used, which is mounted on a shelf for plant cultivation.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a plant cultivation apparatus equipped with a conventional lighting fixture. In the figure, 1 is a cultivation shelf, 2
Is a cultivation bed fixed to the upper surface of the shelf plate 2 by the support frame 4, 5 is a cultivation hydroponic solution, 6 is a cultivation room, 7 is a cultivation panel such as white styrofoam, 50 Is a lighting fixture, 51 is a support frame for attaching the lighting fixture 50 to the lower surface of the shelf 2, 55 is a lighting fixture main body, 56 is a fluorescent tube, 57
Is a ballast stored in the lighting fixture body 55, ha is the height of the lighting fixture 50, hb is the height of the entire lighting fixture, and H is the distance between the upper and lower shelves 2,2.

In this conventional plant cultivation apparatus, a hydroponic solution 5 is supplied to a cultivation bed 3 provided on the upper surface of a plurality of shelves 2, and a plurality of plants are planted on a cultivation panel 7 of the cultivation bed 3. You. Then, the lighting device 50 using the fluorescent tube 56 attached to the cultivation bed 3 via the support frame 51 on the lower surface of the shelf 2 is turned on. As described above, the plants are cultivated hydroponically by being irradiated with light by the lighting fixture 50 using the fluorescent tubes 56. At this time, the hydroponic solution 5 contains components according to the type of plant,
The concentration, pH, etc. are adjusted.

In the conventional plant cultivation apparatus, since the ready-made lighting fixture 50 is attached to the support frame 51, the height ha of the lighting fixture 50 itself and the height hb of the entire lighting fixture including the support frame 51 are set. Therefore, there has been a problem that the plant cultivation apparatus becomes large in size, the intensiveness is reduced, and the energy required for air conditioning and the like is increased.

[0006] As a plant cultivation apparatus designed to cope with this problem, there is, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-18532. As shown in FIG. 9, this plant cultivation apparatus is divided into a cultivation room 60 in which the entire periphery is covered with a reflector 61, and the distance between the fluorescent tube 62 and the plant 63 is 1 cm to
It is configured to irradiate light with low illuminance by shortening it to about 20 cm (hereinafter, referred to as “proximity illumination”), light energy for plant cultivation is reduced, and the plant cultivation apparatus becomes compact. Thus, the effect that the energy required for air conditioning and the like can be reduced can be obtained.

[0007]

On the other hand, in the case of the conventional plant cultivation apparatus, the interval H between the upper and lower shelves 2 is not sufficient.
It is theoretically possible to increase the intensiveness by shortening the number of cultivation shelves and forming the number of cultivation shelves in a plurality of stages, but in a practical plant cultivation apparatus, as described above, the illumination using the fluorescent tube 56 Since the fixture 50 is attached to the support frame 51, the height ha of the lighting fixture 50 itself and the support frame 51
, The height hb of the entire lighting fixture becomes large, which is a constraint when increasing the number of cultivation shelves, and the lighting fixture 50 using the fluorescent tube 56 is long (for example, the length of the 110 W fluorescent tube is 2. 4m), heavy and light fixtures 5
The mounting of the lighting fixture 50 requires strength and the support frame 51 for mounting the lighting fixture 50 cannot be avoided from being enlarged.

In addition, a lighting fixture 5 using a fluorescent tube 56
No. 0 has a problem that the temperature rise in the cultivation room becomes large because the heat generating portion is inside the cultivation room.

In the plant cultivation apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 5-18532, the distance between the fluorescent tube 62 and the plant 63 is reduced, and the entire periphery of the cultivation room 60 is made of a reflecting plate in order to employ the proximity illumination. Since the cultivation room is covered by the hood 61, the space constituting the cultivation room becomes small, and there is a problem that it is difficult to attach the fluorescent tube 62 and it takes time and effort. Further, since the entire periphery of the cultivation room 60 is covered with the reflection plate 61, a large number of exhaust fans are required to release heat generated from the fluorescent tubes 62 from the cultivation room. Further, the operator sets the fluorescent tube 6
It is difficult to care for the plant 63 cultivated in the long direction of 2, and there is a problem that workability is extremely poor.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems of the conventional plant cultivation apparatus, and has a structure that is lightweight and convenient for transportation and assembly. The height of the lighting apparatus can be reduced to increase the number of cultivation shelves. A first object of the present invention is to provide a plant cultivation apparatus using fluorescent lamps that facilitates work in a cultivation room, reduces light energy for plant cultivation, reduces energy required for air conditioning and the like, and reduces construction costs. Aim.

In addition, by using a simple mechanism, the temperature of the cultivation room is prevented from rising due to the heat generated by the fluorescent tubes, thereby making the environment of the cultivation room appropriate, reducing the energy required for air conditioning, and optimizing the cultivation environment conditions. It is a second object to obtain a plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp capable of performing the above-mentioned.

[0012]

In order to achieve the first object, a plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp according to the present invention comprises a lighting unit comprising a plurality of frame members, and the frame members are detachable from each other. Connected, detachably attach the fluorescent tube socket to the opposed vertical frame material, attach a plurality of fluorescent tubes to the socket, and attach a ballast or inverter that lights the fluorescent tube to an appropriate frame material, It is characterized in that a reflector made of a highly reflective material or a reflector coated with a highly reflective agent is attached to an illumination unit formed by a frame material.

In the plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp, the lighting unit is constituted by a plurality of frame members, and the frame members are detachably connected to each other. is there. In addition, the lighting unit can be directly attached to the cultivation shelf, the distance between the lighting unit and the shelf plate can be reduced, and the lighting unit is provided with a reflecting plate made of a high reflecting material or a reflecting plate coated with a high reflecting agent. This makes it possible to bring the reflector close to the fluorescent tube, increase the light reflection, and increase the number of cultivation shelves.

In this case, a reflector made of a highly reflective material or a reflector coated with a highly reflective agent can be attached to both side surfaces of the lighting unit.

Thus, it is possible to prevent the light from the fluorescent tube from escaping from the cultivation room, to enhance the reflection effect, and to further increase the efficiency of using light energy in the cultivation room.

In the cultivation space, the illumination distance of the illumination unit formed by the frame material can be adjusted.

Thus, the distance between the fluorescent tube and the plant can be arbitrarily and easily adjusted according to the type of the plant and the growth condition of the plant.

Further, the fluorescent tube group of the lighting units arranged in parallel can be made to blink in accordance with a preset cycle.

Thus, the lighting time of the fluorescent tube group can be adjusted, and inexpensive midnight power can be used.
The lighting time can be appropriately adjusted according to the growing condition of the plant and the type of the plant.

Further, in order to achieve the second object, the plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp according to the present invention is characterized in that the lighting unit includes a plurality of units for sucking or diffusing heated air around the fluorescent tube. Characterized in that an intake pipe or an air supply pipe having small holes is attached.

[0021] The plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp draws heated air around the fluorescent tube by heat generation of the fluorescent tube from an intake pipe having a number of small holes, or air blown from an air supply pipe. , The heat generated by the fluorescent tube can be removed, whereby the temperature rise in the cultivation room can be prevented by a simple mechanism without attenuating the light of the fluorescent tube.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 7 show one embodiment of a plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a plant cultivation apparatus comprising a plurality of cultivation shelves, 10 is a lighting device, 11 is a rectangular lighting unit, 12a and 12b are vertical frame materials, 13a and 13b are horizontal frame materials, and 15 is fluorescent light. Tube, 16 is a mounting bracket, 16a is a protrusion, 1
7 is a ballast or inverter for lighting the fluorescent tube 15, 18 is a connecting arm, 20 is a socket of the fluorescent tube 15,
Reference numeral 24 denotes a cultivation room surrounded by the frame members 22 and 23, 25 denotes a ceiling reflection plate made of a reflection plate made of a high reflection material or a reflection plate coated with a high reflection agent, and 26 denotes a reflection plate made of a high reflection material or high reflection. A side reflector made of a reflector coated with an agent, 27 is a mounting latch for attaching the side reflector 26, 28 is a hanging plate for hanging the lighting unit 11, 29 is a number of mounting holes, 30 is a bolt, and 35 is a bolt. It is an intake pipe or an air supply pipe having a number of small holes 36 arranged in parallel with the fluorescent tube 15.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lighting device 10 of the plant cultivation apparatus includes four vertical frame members 12a and 12b and horizontal frame members 13a and 13b connecting both ends of both frame members. It consists of a lighting unit 11 configured in a rectangular shape, and a plurality of lighting units 11 are provided between opposed vertical frames 12a and 12b.
In order to mount the four fluorescent tubes 15, the mounting bracket 16 of the socket 20 is mounted on the vertical frames 12 a and 12 b, and the fluorescent tubes 15 are lit on an appropriate frame material, for example, one of the horizontal frame materials 13 a. Or the inverter 17 or the like.

At both ends of the vertical frame members 12a and 12b, connecting arms 18 are attached at right angles to the horizontal frame members 13a and 13b, respectively.
3b so as to be detachably connected by bolts or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the socket 20 of the fluorescent tube 15 has an insertion groove 21 formed on both sides, and the mounting groove 16 is attached to the vertical frames 12a and 12b.
To be detachably inserted into the projection 16a formed in the above.

As shown in FIG. 5, a ceiling reflector 25 and a side reflector 26 are attached to the lighting unit 11.
The side reflector 26 is attached to the lighting unit 11 via an attachment latch 27 that bends the lower end and caulks and holds the side reflector 26. In this case, when the entire side surface of the cultivation room 24 is covered by the side reflection plate 26, there is an advantage that the light reflection efficiency is further increased. However, the work in the cultivation room 24 becomes difficult, and the heat generated by the fluorescent tube 15 is accumulated. There is a disadvantage that the temperature in the cultivation room 24 increases. Therefore, it is desirable to set the height of the side reflector 26 so that at least the hand of an operator can be inserted from the side. According to the experimental results, the height of the side reflection plate 26 is not
It has been found that when the distance from the upper surface of the lighting unit 11 is about 1/3 to 2/3, the light reflection effect can be maintained high, and the workability and the accumulation of heat generated by the fluorescent tube 15 can be improved. The ceiling reflector 25 and the side reflector 26 are
It is desirable to use a high-reflective material that is light, inexpensive, and highly resistant to corrosion.For example, by using a high-reflective plate obtained by applying a high-reflective agent such as white paint to a white styrofoam or a lightweight base material, the light-weight and high-reflective It is easy to replace the dirt on the reflection plate due to long-term use, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, it is desirable to use flame retardant white styrene foam from the viewpoint of safety.

A suspension plate 28 for suspending the lighting unit 11
As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, for example, a set of four is attached to the lighting unit 11 at the lower end, and the upper part is adjustably attached to the support frame 4 of the cultivation bed 3. The hanging plate 28 is provided with a large number of mounting holes 29 so that the distance between the lighting unit 11 and the cultivation bed 3 located below can be appropriately adjusted by bolts 30 so that the lighting unit 11 can be mounted.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, an intake pipe or an air supply pipe 35 having a number of small holes 36 around the fluorescent tube 15 is provided.
(In the present embodiment, one intake pipe or air supply pipe 35 is provided, but two or more pipes are provided at appropriate positions). The fluorescent tube 1 can be provided by the heat generated by the fluorescent tube 15.
The heated air around 5 is sucked from an intake pipe 35 having a large number of small holes 36 or is diffused by air ejected from the small holes 36 of the air supply pipe 35, whereby fluorescent light is emitted. The heat generation of the tube 15 can be removed, and the temperature rise in the cultivation room 24 can be easily prevented without attenuating the light of the fluorescent tube 15. The intake pipe or air supply pipe 35 is connected to an air pump (not shown),
In the case of No. 5, the sucked high-temperature air is supplied to the plant cultivation apparatus 1
Is discharged outside the building where the
Energy required for air conditioning can be reduced. In this case, the diameter of the small hole 36 provided in the intake pipe or the air supply pipe 35 is
By making it smaller near the air pump than at a distance away from it, uniform intake or air supply can be performed over the entire length of the intake pipe or air supply pipe 35. It should be noted that either the intake pipe or the air supply pipe 35 may be provided, or that one of the intake pipes or the air supply pipe 35 may be used separately for the intake pipe and the air supply pipe by changing the direction of air flow. Further, it is also possible to stop the suction of the air from the intake pipe 35 in the cold season, and to supply the air containing the temperature-adjusted air or the air containing the CO ₂ gas whose concentration is higher than the atmospheric concentration. In this case, the intake pipe or the air supply pipe 35 and the air pump are connected so that air or the like can be sucked or supplied. In addition, as will be described later, in order to use inexpensive midnight power and properly adjust the lighting time according to the growing condition of the plant and the type of the plant, a number of the fluorescent tubes 15 of the lighting unit 11 arranged in parallel are arranged. In the case of blinking in accordance with a preset cycle, by operating an air pump or driving an electromagnetic valve disposed in a pipeline in accordance with the cycle, suction or suction of air or the like is performed. The air supply condition can be adjusted.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the plant cultivation apparatus 1 is not particularly limited, but can be used for hydroponic cultivation. In this case, a certain number of plants are planted on the cultivation panel 5 made of, for example, white styrofoam, which is filled with the hydroponic solution up to near the upper portion of the cultivation bed 3 and is arranged so as to float on the hydroponic solution. The harvesting of the plant is performed by extracting the cultivation panel 5 at the harvesting side B at one end of the plant cultivation apparatus 1 and pushing the remaining cultivation panel group into the harvesting side B, and then planting the plant from the transplanting side A of the plant cultivation apparatus 1. The grown cultivation panel 5 is set and sequentially moved to the harvesting side B so that the cultivation panel 5 stays in the plant cultivation apparatus 1 for a predetermined number of days.

According to the results of experiments conducted to verify the effects of the plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp of the present invention, for example, the cultivation bed 3 having a length of 2.4 m and a width of 1.2 m was laid. The average illuminance of the white styrofoam on the surface of the cultivation panel 5 (in a state where no plant is planted) is the 110 W fluorescent tube 15 when the distance between the cultivation panel 5 and the fluorescent tube 15 of the lighting unit 11 is set to 30 cm.
By turning on only four lines, a high light intensity of 20,000 lx (lux) or more was obtained.

The lighting device 10 having the lighting unit 11 is mounted in a large number from the transplanting side A to the harvesting side B of the plant cultivating device 1, and is turned on in accordance with a condition preset according to the type of plant and the growing condition. The time is set and connected to a controller (not shown) so that the lighting time of the lighting unit 11 group can be controlled. Thus, the lighting unit 1
By adjusting the lighting time of one group, inexpensive midnight power can be used and the number of growing days can be adjusted. Further, a controller can be connected to each lighting unit 11 so that the lighting time can be controlled for each lighting unit 11. In this case, there is an advantage that the growth time of the plant can be adjusted by controlling the lighting time for each cultivation zone, and the size at the time of harvest can be made uniform. Further, the lighting units 11 can be connected to the controller in combination so that the lighting units 11 can be entirely turned on or partially turned on. In this case, since the light intensity in the cultivation room 24 can be adjusted, there is an advantage that the light intensity can be adjusted to an appropriate light intensity according to the growth condition of the plant and the type of the plant.

The fluorescent tubes 15 of the lighting unit 11 arranged in parallel are composed of several types of fluorescent tubes effective for plant growth, for example, a ready-made white fluorescent tube, a three-wavelength fluorescent tube, or blue, green, and red. Fluorescent tubes for color evaluation having a relatively uniform energy ratio or the like can be used alone or in combination. In addition, depending on the type of plant, a fluorescent tube for color evaluation or the like having a relatively uniform energy ratio of blue, green, and red can be used in appropriate combination. In this case, there is an advantage that an appropriate light quality according to the type of the plant is obtained, and a high-quality harvest is obtained.

[0034]

According to the plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp of the present invention, the lighting unit is constituted by a plurality of frame members, and the frame members are detachably connected to each other, so that a long frame is formed. The material can be easily transported and handled, and can be easily attached to a transport and cultivation shelf on site. In addition, the lighting unit can be directly attached to the cultivation shelf, the distance between the lighting unit and the shelf plate can be reduced, and the lighting unit is provided with a reflecting plate made of a high reflecting material or a reflecting plate coated with a high reflecting agent. This makes it possible to bring the reflector close to the fluorescent tube, enhance the reflection of light, reduce the light energy required for plant cultivation, and increase the number of cultivation shelves. Further, the influence of the heat generated by the ballast or the like on the plants can be blocked by the reflector.

A reflector made of a highly reflective material or a reflector coated with a highly reflective agent is preferably attached to both sides of the lighting unit so that at least a human can insert the reflector from the side of the lighting unit. It is possible to prevent light from escaping from the cultivation room, enhance the reflection effect, further increase the use efficiency of light energy in the cultivation room, and suppress a temperature rise due to heat generation of the fluorescent tube.

In the cultivation space, the distance between the fluorescent tube and the plant can be arbitrarily set according to the type of the plant or the growing condition of the plant by adjusting the lighting distance of the lighting unit formed by the frame material in an adjustable manner. In addition, the light intensity can be easily adjusted, an appropriate light intensity can be obtained according to the type of the plant, and the light energy efficiency obtained by the plant can be increased.

Further, by illuminating the fluorescent tube groups of a large number of parallel lighting units in accordance with a preset cycle, it is possible to adjust the lighting time of the fluorescent tube group, thereby reducing the cost of the late night power supply. Can be used, and the lighting time can be properly adjusted according to the growing condition of the plant and the type of plant, and the growth of the plant can be adjusted for each cultivation zone, and the harvest time can be made uniform. .

Further, according to the plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp of the present invention, the heated air around the fluorescent tube is sucked or sent from the suction tube having a large number of small holes by the heat generated by the fluorescent tube. It can be diffused by the air ejected from the trachea and remove the heat generated by the fluorescent tube, thereby preventing a rise in the temperature in the cultivation room without attenuating the light of the fluorescent tube by a simple mechanism, and growing the plant. The temperature in the cultivation room can be appropriately adjusted according to the situation and the type of the plant. In this case, particularly in a warm season, heated air around the fluorescent tube is sucked from an intake pipe having a large number of small holes, and the sucked high-temperature air is placed outside the building where the plant cultivation device is installed. By discharging, the energy required for air conditioning can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a lighting device showing one embodiment of a plant cultivation device using a fluorescent lamp of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a vertical frame member.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fitting for mounting a fluorescent tube.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a socket of the fluorescent tube.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lighting device.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the plant cultivation apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a plant cultivation apparatus.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a plant cultivation device using a conventional lighting device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a plant cultivation device using another conventional lighting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plant cultivation apparatus 10 Lighting device 11 Lighting unit 12a, 12b Vertical frame material 13a, 13b Horizontal frame material 15 Fluorescent tube 16 Mounting bracket 17 Stabilizer or inverter 18 Connecting arm 20 Socket 22, 23 Frame material 24 Cultivation room 25 From reflection plate Ceiling reflector 26 26 Reflector side reflector 27 Mounting latch 28 Suspension plate 29 Mounting hole 30 Bolt 35 Intake pipe or air supply pipe 36 Small hole

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission Date] April 18, 2001 (2001.4.1
8)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Full text

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Document Name] Statement

[Title of the Invention] Plant cultivation apparatus using fluorescent light

[Claims]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant cultivation apparatus using artificial light, and more particularly, to a plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is well known to use a fluorescent lamp as a plant cultivation apparatus using artificial light. In particular, when a plant is cultivated by providing a plurality of shelves in a vertical direction, a fluorescent lamp is usually used. Is used. As the fluorescent lamp, that is, a lighting device using a fluorescent tube, a ready-made lighting device is used, which is mounted on a shelf for plant cultivation.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a plant cultivation apparatus equipped with a conventional lighting fixture. In the figure, 1 is a cultivation shelf, 2
Is a cultivation bed fixed to the upper surface of the shelf plate 2 by the support frame 4, 5 is a cultivation hydroponic solution, 6 is a cultivation room, 7 is a cultivation panel such as white styrofoam, 50 Is a lighting fixture, 51 is a support frame for attaching the lighting fixture 50 to the lower surface of the shelf 2, 55 is a lighting fixture main body, 56 is a fluorescent tube, 57
Is a ballast stored in the lighting fixture body 55, ha is the height of the lighting fixture 50, hb is the height of the entire lighting fixture, and H is the distance between the upper and lower shelves 2,2.

In this conventional plant cultivation apparatus, a hydroponic solution 5 is supplied to a cultivation bed 3 provided on the upper surface of a plurality of shelves 2, and a plurality of plants are planted on a cultivation panel 7 of the cultivation bed 3. You. Then, the lighting device 50 using the fluorescent tube 56 attached to the cultivation bed 3 via the support frame 51 on the lower surface of the shelf 2 is turned on. As described above, the plants are cultivated hydroponically by being irradiated with light by the lighting fixture 50 using the fluorescent tubes 56. At this time, the hydroponic solution 5 contains components according to the type of plant,
The concentration, pH, etc. are adjusted.

In the conventional plant cultivation apparatus, since the ready-made lighting fixture 50 is attached to the support frame 51, the height ha of the lighting fixture 50 itself and the height hb of the entire lighting fixture including the support frame 51 are set. Therefore, there has been a problem that the plant cultivation apparatus becomes large in size, the intensiveness is reduced, and the energy required for air conditioning and the like is increased.

[0006] As a plant cultivation apparatus designed to cope with this problem, there is, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-18532. As shown in FIG. 9, this plant cultivation apparatus is divided into a cultivation room 60 in which the entire periphery is covered with a reflector 61, and the distance between the fluorescent tube 62 and the plant 63 is 1 cm to
It is configured to irradiate light with low illuminance by shortening it to about 20 cm (hereinafter, referred to as “proximity illumination”), light energy for plant cultivation is reduced, and the plant cultivation apparatus becomes compact. Thus, the effect that the energy required for air conditioning and the like can be reduced can be obtained.

[0007]

On the other hand, in the case of the conventional plant cultivation apparatus, the interval H between the upper and lower shelves 2 is not sufficient.
It is theoretically possible to increase the intensiveness by shortening the number of cultivation shelves and forming the number of cultivation shelves in a plurality of stages, but in a practical plant cultivation apparatus, as described above, the illumination using the fluorescent tube 56 Since the fixture 50 is attached to the support frame 51, the height ha of the lighting fixture 50 itself and the support frame 51
, The height hb of the entire lighting fixture becomes large, which is a constraint when increasing the number of cultivation shelves, and the lighting fixture 50 using the fluorescent tube 56 is long (for example, the length of the 110 W fluorescent tube is 2. 4m), heavy and light fixtures 5
The mounting of the lighting fixture 50 requires strength and the support frame 51 for mounting the lighting fixture 50 cannot be avoided from being enlarged.

In addition, a lighting fixture 5 using a fluorescent tube 56
No. 0 has a problem that the temperature rise in the cultivation room becomes large because the heat generating portion is inside the cultivation room.

In the plant cultivation apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 5-18532, the distance between the fluorescent tube 62 and the plant 63 is reduced, and the entire periphery of the cultivation room 60 is made of a reflecting plate in order to employ the proximity illumination. Since the cultivation room is covered by the hood 61, the space constituting the cultivation room becomes small, and there is a problem that it is difficult to attach the fluorescent tube 62 and it takes time and effort. Further, since the entire periphery of the cultivation room 60 is covered with the reflection plate 61, a large number of exhaust fans are required to release heat generated from the fluorescent tubes 62 from the cultivation room. Further, the operator sets the fluorescent tube 6
It is difficult to care for the plant 63 cultivated in the long direction of 2, and there is a problem that workability is extremely poor.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems of the conventional plant cultivation apparatus, and has a structure that is lightweight and convenient for transportation and assembly. The height of the lighting apparatus can be reduced to increase the number of cultivation shelves. A first object of the present invention is to provide a plant cultivation apparatus using fluorescent lamps that facilitates work in a cultivation room, reduces light energy for plant cultivation, reduces energy required for air conditioning and the like, and reduces construction costs. Aim.

In addition, by using a simple mechanism, the temperature of the cultivation room is prevented from rising due to the heat generated by the fluorescent tubes, thereby making the environment of the cultivation room appropriate, reducing the energy required for air conditioning, and optimizing the cultivation environment conditions. It is a second object to obtain a plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp capable of performing the above-mentioned.

[0012]

In order to achieve the first object, a plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp according to the present invention comprises a lighting unit comprising a plurality of frame members, and the frame members are detachable from each other. Connected, detachably attach the fluorescent tube socket to the opposed vertical frame material, attach a plurality of fluorescent tubes to the socket, and attach a ballast or inverter that lights the fluorescent tube to an appropriate frame material, It is characterized in that a reflector made of a highly reflective material or a reflector coated with a highly reflective agent is attached to an illumination unit formed by a frame material.

In the plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp, the lighting unit is constituted by a plurality of frame members, and the frame members are detachably connected to each other. is there. In addition, the lighting unit can be directly attached to the cultivation shelf, the distance between the lighting unit and the shelf plate can be reduced, and the lighting unit is provided with a reflecting plate made of a high reflecting material or a reflecting plate coated with a high reflecting agent. This makes it possible to bring the reflector close to the fluorescent tube, increase the light reflection, and increase the number of cultivation shelves.

In this case, a reflector made of a highly reflective material or a reflector coated with a highly reflective agent can be attached to both side surfaces of the lighting unit.

Thus, it is possible to prevent the light from the fluorescent tube from escaping from the cultivation room, to enhance the reflection effect, and to further increase the efficiency of using light energy in the cultivation room.

In the cultivation space, the illumination distance of the illumination unit formed by the frame material can be adjusted.

Thus, the distance between the fluorescent tube and the plant can be arbitrarily and easily adjusted according to the type of the plant and the growth condition of the plant.

Further, the fluorescent tube group of the lighting units arranged in parallel can be made to blink in accordance with a preset cycle.

Thus, the lighting time of the fluorescent tube group can be adjusted, and inexpensive midnight power can be used.
The lighting time can be appropriately adjusted according to the growing condition of the plant and the type of the plant.

Further, in order to achieve the second object, the plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp according to the present invention is characterized in that the lighting unit includes a plurality of units for sucking or diffusing heated air around the fluorescent tube. Characterized in that an intake pipe or an air supply pipe having small holes is attached.

[0021] The plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp draws heated air around the fluorescent tube by heat generation of the fluorescent tube from an intake pipe having a number of small holes, or air blown from an air supply pipe. , The heat generated by the fluorescent tube can be removed, whereby the temperature rise in the cultivation room can be prevented by a simple mechanism without attenuating the light of the fluorescent tube.

A plant cultivation apparatus using the above fluorescent lamp
Remove the cultivation panel at the harvest side of one end of the plant cultivation equipment
Take the remaining cultivation panel group and push it to the harvest side,
A cultivation panel in which plants are planted from the transplant side of the plant cultivation equipment
Set and move to the harvest side in order, and plant the cultivation panel
Use it so that it stays for a certain number of days in the culture device
be able to.

In this case, the cultivation panel is floated on the hydroponic solution.
It can be arranged as if it were.

[0024]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 7 show one embodiment of a plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp of the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a plant cultivation apparatus comprising a plurality of cultivation shelves, 10 is a lighting device, 11 is a rectangular lighting unit, 12a and 12b are vertical frame materials, 13a and 13b are horizontal frame materials, and 15 is fluorescent light. Tube, 16 is a mounting bracket, 16a is a protrusion, 1
7 is a ballast or inverter for lighting the fluorescent tube 15, 18 is a connecting arm, 20 is a socket of the fluorescent tube 15,
Reference numeral 24 denotes a cultivation room surrounded by the frame members 22 and 23, 25 denotes a ceiling reflection plate made of a reflection plate made of a high reflection material or a reflection plate coated with a high reflection agent, and 26 denotes a reflection plate made of a high reflection material or high reflection. A side reflector made of a reflector coated with an agent, 27 is a mounting latch for attaching the side reflector 26, 28 is a hanging plate for hanging the lighting unit 11, 29 is a number of mounting holes, 30 is a bolt, and 35 is a bolt. It is an intake pipe or an air supply pipe having a number of small holes 36 arranged in parallel with the fluorescent tube 15.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lighting device 10 of the plant cultivation apparatus includes four vertical frame members 12a and 12b and horizontal frame members 13a and 13b connecting both ends of both frame members. It consists of a lighting unit 11 configured in a rectangular shape, and a plurality of lighting units 11 are provided between opposed vertical frames 12a and 12b.
In order to mount the four fluorescent tubes 15, the mounting bracket 16 of the socket 20 is mounted on the vertical frames 12 a and 12 b, and the fluorescent tubes 15 are lit on an appropriate frame material, for example, one of the horizontal frame materials 13 a. Or the inverter 17 or the like.

At both ends of the vertical frame members 12a and 12b, connecting arms 18 are attached at right angles to the horizontal frame members 13a and 13b, respectively.
3b so as to be detachably connected by bolts or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the socket 20 of the fluorescent tube 15 has insertion grooves 21 formed on both sides, and the mounting grooves 16 are attached to the vertical frames 12a and 12b.
To be detachably inserted into the projection 16a formed in the above.

As shown in FIG. 5, a ceiling reflector 25 and a side reflector 26 are attached to the lighting unit 11.
The side reflector 26 is attached to the lighting unit 11 via an attachment latch 27 that bends the lower end and caulks and holds the side reflector 26. In this case, when the entire side surface of the cultivation room 24 is covered by the side reflection plate 26, there is an advantage that the light reflection efficiency is further increased. However, the work in the cultivation room 24 becomes difficult, and the heat generated by the fluorescent tube 15 is accumulated. There is a disadvantage that the temperature in the cultivation room 24 increases. Therefore, it is desirable to set the height of the side reflector 26 so that at least the hand of an operator can be inserted from the side. According to the experimental results, the height of the side reflection plate 26 is not
It has been found that when the distance from the upper surface of the lighting unit 11 is about 1/3 to 2/3, the light reflection effect can be maintained high, and the workability and the accumulation of heat generated by the fluorescent tube 15 can be improved. The ceiling reflector 25 and the side reflector 26 are
It is desirable to use a high-reflective material that is light, inexpensive, and highly resistant to corrosion.For example, by using a high-reflective plate obtained by applying a high-reflective agent such as white paint to a white styrofoam or a lightweight base material, the light-weight and high-reflective It is easy to replace the dirt on the reflection plate due to long-term use, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, it is desirable to use flame retardant white styrene foam from the viewpoint of safety.

A suspension plate 28 for suspending the lighting unit 11
As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, for example, a set of four is attached to the lighting unit 11 at the lower end, and the upper part is adjustably attached to the support frame 4 of the cultivation bed 3. The hanging plate 28 is provided with a large number of mounting holes 29 so that the distance between the lighting unit 11 and the cultivation bed 3 located below can be appropriately adjusted by bolts 30 so that the lighting unit 11 can be mounted.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, an intake pipe or an air supply pipe 35 having a number of small holes 36 around the fluorescent pipe 15 is provided.
(In the present embodiment, one intake pipe or air supply pipe 35 is provided, but two or more pipes are provided at appropriate positions). The fluorescent tube 1 can be provided by the heat generated by the fluorescent tube 15.
The heated air around 5 is sucked from an intake pipe 35 having a large number of small holes 36 or is diffused by air ejected from the small holes 36 of the air supply pipe 35, whereby fluorescent light is emitted. The heat generation of the tube 15 can be removed, and the temperature rise in the cultivation room 24 can be easily prevented without attenuating the light of the fluorescent tube 15. The intake pipe or air supply pipe 35 is connected to an air pump (not shown),
In the case of No. 5, the sucked high-temperature air is supplied to the plant cultivation apparatus 1
Is discharged outside the building where the
Energy required for air conditioning can be reduced. In this case, the diameter of the small hole 36 provided in the intake pipe or the air supply pipe 35 is
By making it smaller near the air pump than at a distance away from it, uniform intake or air supply can be performed over the entire length of the intake pipe or air supply pipe 35. It should be noted that either the intake pipe or the air supply pipe 35 may be provided, or that one of the intake pipes or the air supply pipe 35 may be used separately for the intake pipe and the air supply pipe by changing the direction of air flow. Further, it is also possible to stop the suction of the air from the intake pipe 35 in the cold season, and to supply the air containing the temperature-adjusted air or the air containing the CO ₂ gas whose concentration is higher than the atmospheric concentration. In this case, the intake pipe or the air supply pipe 35 and the air pump are connected so that air or the like can be sucked or supplied. In addition, as will be described later, in order to use inexpensive midnight power and properly adjust the lighting time according to the growing condition of the plant and the type of the plant, a number of the fluorescent tubes 15 of the lighting unit 11 arranged in parallel are arranged. In the case of blinking in accordance with a preset cycle, by operating an air pump or driving an electromagnetic valve disposed in a pipeline in accordance with the cycle, suction or suction of air or the like is performed. The air supply condition can be adjusted.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, this plant cultivation apparatus 1 is not particularly limited, but can be used for hydroponic cultivation. In this case, a certain number of plants are planted on the cultivation panel 5 made of, for example, white styrofoam, which is filled with the hydroponic solution up to near the upper portion of the cultivation bed 3 and is arranged so as to float on the hydroponic solution. The harvesting of the plant is performed by extracting the cultivation panel 5 at the harvesting side B at one end of the plant cultivation apparatus 1 and pushing the remaining cultivation panel group into the harvesting side B, and then planting the plant from the transplanting side A of the plant cultivation apparatus 1. The grown cultivation panel 5 is set and sequentially moved to the harvesting side B so that the cultivation panel 5 stays in the plant cultivation apparatus 1 for a predetermined number of days.

By the way, according to the results of an experiment conducted to verify the effect of the plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp of the present invention, for example, the plant was laid on a cultivation bed 3 having a length of 2.4 m and a width of 1.2 m. The average illuminance of the white styrofoam on the surface of the cultivation panel 5 (in a state where no plant is planted) is the 110 W fluorescent tube 15 when the distance between the cultivation panel 5 and the fluorescent tube 15 of the lighting unit 11 is set to 30 cm.
By turning on only four lines, a high light intensity of 20,000 lx (lux) or more was obtained.

A number of illuminating devices 10 having the illuminating unit 11 are mounted side by side from the transplanting side A to the harvesting side B of the plant cultivating device 1, and are turned on in accordance with the conditions set in advance according to the type and growing condition of the plant. The time is set and connected to a controller (not shown) so that the lighting time of the lighting unit 11 group can be controlled. Thus, the lighting unit 1
By adjusting the lighting time of one group, inexpensive midnight power can be used and the number of growing days can be adjusted. Further, a controller can be connected to each lighting unit 11 so that the lighting time can be controlled for each lighting unit 11. In this case, there is an advantage that the growth time of the plant can be adjusted by controlling the lighting time for each cultivation zone, and the size at the time of harvest can be made uniform. Further, the lighting units 11 can be connected to the controller in combination so that the lighting units 11 can be entirely turned on or partially turned on. In this case, since the light intensity in the cultivation room 24 can be adjusted, there is an advantage that the light intensity can be adjusted to an appropriate light intensity according to the growth condition of the plant and the type of the plant.

The fluorescent tubes 15 of the lighting unit 11 arranged in parallel are composed of several types of fluorescent tubes effective for plant growth, for example, a ready-made white fluorescent tube or a three-wavelength fluorescent tube, or blue, green, or red. Fluorescent tubes for color evaluation having a relatively uniform energy ratio or the like can be used alone or in combination. In addition, depending on the type of plant, a fluorescent tube for color evaluation or the like having a relatively uniform energy ratio of blue, green, and red can be used in appropriate combination. In this case, there is an advantage that an appropriate light quality according to the type of the plant is obtained, and a high-quality harvest is obtained.

[0036]

According to the plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp of the present invention, the lighting unit is constituted by a plurality of frame members, and the frame members are detachably connected to each other, so that a long frame is formed. The material can be easily transported and handled, and can be easily attached to a transport and cultivation shelf on site. In addition, the lighting unit can be directly attached to the cultivation shelf, the distance between the lighting unit and the shelf plate can be reduced, and the lighting unit is provided with a reflecting plate made of a high reflecting material or a reflecting plate coated with a high reflecting agent. This makes it possible to bring the reflector close to the fluorescent tube, enhance the reflection of light, reduce the light energy required for plant cultivation, and increase the number of cultivation shelves. Further, the influence of the heat generated by the ballast or the like on the plants can be blocked by the reflector.

Further, a reflector made of a high-reflective material or a reflector coated with a high-reflective agent is preferably attached to both sides of the lighting unit so that at least humans can insert the reflector from the side of the lighting unit. It is possible to prevent light from escaping from the cultivation room, enhance the reflection effect, further increase the use efficiency of light energy in the cultivation room, and suppress a temperature rise due to heat generation of the fluorescent tube.

In the cultivation space, the distance between the fluorescent tube and the plant can be arbitrarily adjusted according to the type of the plant and the growing condition of the plant by adjusting the lighting distance of the lighting unit formed by the frame material in an adjustable manner. In addition, the light intensity can be easily adjusted, an appropriate light intensity can be obtained according to the type of the plant, and the light energy efficiency obtained by the plant can be increased.

Also, by illuminating the fluorescent tube groups of a large number of parallel lighting units in accordance with a preset cycle, the lighting time of the fluorescent tube group can be adjusted, and inexpensive midnight power can be obtained. Can be used, and the lighting time can be properly adjusted according to the growing condition of the plant and the type of plant, and the growth of the plant can be adjusted for each cultivation zone, and the harvest time can be made uniform. .

Further, according to the plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp of the present invention, the heated air around the fluorescent tube is sucked or sent from the suction tube having a large number of small holes by the heat generated by the fluorescent tube. It can be diffused by the air ejected from the trachea and remove the heat generated by the fluorescent tube, thereby preventing a rise in the temperature in the cultivation room without attenuating the light of the fluorescent tube by a simple mechanism, and growing the plant. The temperature in the cultivation room can be appropriately adjusted according to the situation and the type of the plant. In this case, particularly in a warm season, heated air around the fluorescent tube is sucked from an intake pipe having a large number of small holes, and the sucked high-temperature air is placed outside the building where the plant cultivation device is installed. By discharging, the energy required for air conditioning can be reduced.

A plant cultivation apparatus using the above fluorescent lamp
Remove the cultivation panel at the harvest side of one end of the plant cultivation equipment
Take the remaining cultivation panel group and push it to the harvest side,
A cultivation panel in which plants are planted from the transplant side of the plant cultivation equipment
Set and move to the harvest side in order, and plant the cultivation panel
Use it so that it stays for a certain number of days in the culture device
be able to.

In this case, the cultivation panel is floated on the hydroponic solution.
It can be arranged as if it were.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a lighting device showing one embodiment of a plant cultivation device using a fluorescent lamp of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a vertical frame member.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fitting for mounting a fluorescent tube.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a socket of the fluorescent tube.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lighting device.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the plant cultivation apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a plant cultivation apparatus.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a plant cultivation device using a conventional lighting device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a plant cultivation device using another conventional lighting device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plant cultivation device 10 Lighting device 11 Lighting unit 12a, 12b Vertical frame material 13a, 13b Horizontal frame material 15 Fluorescent tube 16 Mounting bracket 17 Ballast or inverter 18 Connection arm 20 Socket 22, 23 Frame material 24 Cultivation Room 25 Ceiling reflector made of reflector 26 Side reflector made of reflector 27 Mounting latch 28 Suspension plate 29 Mounting hole 30 Bolt 35 Intake pipe or air pipe 36 Small hole

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Akira Ikeda 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Within Mitsui Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuo Mori 4-37 Ikejiri, Itami-shi, Hyogo Prefecture Morikuh Inc. F term in the factory (reference) 2B022 AA03 DA01 DA02 DA05 2B027 ND01 ND15 UB03

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A lighting unit is constituted by a plurality of frame members, the frame members are detachably connected to each other, and a fluorescent tube socket is detachably attached to an opposed vertical frame member. And a ballast or an inverter for lighting the fluorescent tube is mounted on an appropriate frame material, and a reflector made of a high-reflective material or a reflector coated with a high-reflective agent is mounted on an illumination unit formed by the frame material. A plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp. 2. A plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp according to claim 1, wherein a reflection plate made of a high reflection material or a reflection plate coated with a high reflection agent is attached to both side surfaces of said lighting unit. . 3. The plant cultivation apparatus using a fluorescent lamp according to claim 1, wherein an illumination distance of an illumination unit formed by the frame material is adjustable in a cultivation space. 4. A plant using a fluorescent lamp according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of fluorescent tube groups of lighting units arranged in parallel are turned on and off according to a preset cycle. Cultivation equipment. 5. The lighting unit according to claim 1, further comprising an intake pipe or an air supply pipe having a plurality of small holes for sucking or diffusing heated air around the fluorescent tube. A plant cultivation apparatus using the fluorescent lamp according to 3 or 4.