JP2003038049A - Vertical type hydroponics device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vertical type hydroponics device which can be used even in a hillside land, can uniformly supply a nutritious liquid in a simple structure, is lightweight and can be made at a low cost. SOLUTION: This vertical hydroponics device is characterized by having a frame 3 equipped with an obliquely disposed holding portion 2, a water- retaining portion 7 disposed in the tray 6 and capable of retaining water, a root-intercepting sheet 8 disposed on the upper side of the water-retaining portion 7, capable of vertically permeating the water, and capable of preventing the intrusion of the roots of plants 13, a water-repelling sheet 9 disposed on the upper side of the root-intercepting sheet 8 and having support portions 14 for penetratedly attaching plants 13 thereto, a water-collecting tank 5 disposed on the lower side of the slope portion and capable of recovering the liquid from the lower end of the water-retaining portion 7, and a circulation pump for drawing up the liquid from the water-collecting tank 5 to the upper end of the holding portion 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hydroponics device for cultivating crops without using soil.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hydroponics in agriculture is to cultivate crops by using a culture solution in which the nutrient water and oxygen necessary for growing the crops are artificially adjusted without using soil.
By the hydroponic culture, it is possible to avoid the continuous cropping problem (a phenomenon in which crop cultivation cannot be performed due to the occurrence of soil diseases), which is a problem in the conventional soil cultivation. Also,
Hydroponics is drawing attention in the future because it has a simpler cultivation manual than soil cultivation, and since it does not use soil, it can be used in urban areas where there is no agricultural land.

[0003] Conventionally, when performing hydroponics, an expensive and large-sized device such as a large-capacity hydroponics tank, a cultivating bed, a nutrient solution supply device, and a culture solution heating device is required for cultivation. The cost of several million to more than 10 million yen per 10a is required only with a direct cultivation device. In addition, since such expensive equipment is used, it is necessary to use facilities with heavy equipment. In addition, since it is necessary to uniformly supply the nutrient solution to the cultivation bed, the cultivation bed is installed with particular care in the horizontal.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned conventional hydroponic cultivation apparatus is large in size because the nutrient solution supply device required for cultivation is large and the facility cost is high. Therefore, it is easy to perform cultivation on the roof of a building. Could not be introduced. In recent years, the heat island phenomenon due to waste heat has become a social problem in urban areas, and a greening project using the rooftops of buildings such as urban buildings has begun as a countermeasure to this problem. Since the weight of the upper part of the building is increased in the hydroponic cultivation apparatus, such a greening facility may not be adopted depending on the resistance of the building.

In particular, in the hydroponic culture, it is necessary to set a precise level during the construction in order to keep the flow rate of the nutrient solution constant and to supply the solution uniformly. Requires expensive equipment. For this reason, even if the cultivation is done on the rooftop of the building, the cultivation area cannot be so large, and if you want to grow it on a small veranda, etc. However, it is difficult to cultivate the plant because the lighting is not sufficient.

[0006] Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vertical-type hydroponics device that can be used even on a sloping land without using special equipment, can uniformly supply a nutrient solution with a simple structure, and can be manufactured at a light weight and at a low cost.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the vertical-type hydroponic cultivation apparatus of the present invention comprises a gantry having a holding portion arranged in an inclined manner, and a tray fixable to the holding portion.
A water retaining portion disposed in the tray and capable of retaining water, a root-shielding sheet that is disposed on the upper surface side of the water-retaining portion, is vertically permeable, and prevents plant roots from entering, and the upper surface of the root-shielding sheet. And a water repellent sheet having support portions formed at a plurality of positions, which are arranged on the side of the water repellent sheet, and a water collecting tank capable of collecting nutrient water from the lower end portion of the water retaining portion, which is provided below the slope portion. And a circulation pump for pumping the nourishing water from the water collecting tank to the upper end portion of the holding portion.

The holding portion can be set to any tilt angle, and the set angle may be fixed or variable. The gantry can be assembled from, for example, wood, metal, hard plastic, or the like, and may be provided with a trolley so as to be movable.

The tray may have a structure in which the liquid does not spill out from a portion other than the lower end portion when the liquid flows into the tray in a tilted state. For example, a groove-shaped tray can be used. As the material of the tray, for example, hard plastic can be used, and it is also possible to use by fixing the outer periphery of the flexible plastic sheet at a position higher than the bottom.

The term "retainable water" means that a liquid can be retained in a non-flowing state. For example, a sponge-like material having a sponge-like porous structure, a woven or non-woven fabric composed of a large number of fibers, or the fibers themselves can be used. It is used by infiltrating nutrient water into a water-absorbing material. As the root-shielding sheet, a finely woven cloth having a gap of a size that a plant root cannot pass through or a plastic sheet having a large number of small holes is used. Nutrient water refers to nutrients, water or a mixture thereof.

Since the water retaining portion is provided, the nutrient water does not flow out even if it is tilted and is retained for a certain period of time. Since the cultivation area is large relative to the floor area, the plant can be efficiently grown. Moreover, since the structure is simple, it can be easily installed and removed, and since it is lightweight, it does not burden the structure of the installation site. Also, if the root remains in the fiber, harmful substances are generated when it decomposes, or it decomposes and produces a bad odor, resulting in unsanitary conditions. It is possible to supply water to the roots of multiple plants evenly from the water retaining part, as well as to naturally supply air to the upper part of the roots, and also to clean up when the cultivation is finished. You can easily. Furthermore, since a water-repellent sheet is provided, it prevents rainwater and pesticides from entering from the outside to the inside of the water-repellent sheet, and prevents the nutrient solution from leaking from the inside to the outside to prevent fluctuations in the nutrient solution concentration. It

Further, the water retaining portion is provided with a water retaining sheet capable of retaining water inside and a pumping sheet which is disposed so as to cover the upper and side portions of the water retaining sheet and sucks up the nourishing water from the water retaining sheet and conveys it upward. It is also possible. With such a configuration, sufficient nutrient water can be uniformly supplied even when the root of the plant is arranged on the upper side of the pumping sheet, and complicated piping equipment is not required.

Further, it is also possible to form the water retaining sheet and the pumping sheet with a non-woven fabric, and to fabricate the non-woven fabric used for the pumping sheet with finer mesh and thinner thickness than the water retaining sheet. With this configuration, a large amount of nutrient water is retained in the water retention sheet, and the nutrient water retained on the lower side of the water retention sheet efficiently moves upward due to the capillary action.

It is also possible to provide a frame member surrounding the periphery of the through hole in the support portion. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the nutrient solution from flowing out from the through-hole, and prevent rainwater, fertilizer, etc. from flowing into the through-hole, and suppress fluctuations in the components of the nutrient solution to achieve uniform growth conditions. Can be

Further, it is possible to form the opening of the frame member in a vertically upward direction. With this configuration, the plant can be cultivated in the vertical direction, so that the work can be easily performed and the bending of the stem of the plant can be reduced.

Further, on the upper surface side of the water repellent sheet, there is attached a light transmissive cover which forms a space by blocking external air from the water repellent sheet, and an openable / closable ventilation is provided at the upper end of the light transmissive cover. It is also possible to provide a mouth. The height of the space is
It is preferable to provide a margin that does not allow plants to come into contact with each other, and for example, it is set to about 20 to 30 cm. Since the light-transmitting cover is provided, the temperature required for growth can be maintained even in the low temperature season. Since the air warmed inside the translucent cover rises, if the ventilation port is provided only in the upper part, efficient ventilation can be performed without causing a rapid change in the internal temperature.

Further, it is possible to provide an insect-proof cover, which is transparent and ventilated, on the upper surface of the water repellent sheet so as to cover the plants. The insect cover can be composed of a mesh member having a mesh size of about 0.5 to 1.0 mm, for example. Since the insect cover is provided, the attachment of harmful insects can be prevented outdoors.

Further, it is possible to provide a large number of light emitting elements for irradiating the plants with light on the upper surface side of the water repellent sheet. As the light emitting element, for example, a high brightness type light emitting diode that emits light in red or blue to promote photosynthesis is used. With this configuration, it is possible to grow plants healthy even indoors or in a place with little light. Further, since it is not necessary to consider the sunshine angle, it is not necessary to consider the inclination angle of the tray, the inclination angle can be increased to reduce the installation area, and the trays can be densely arranged.

It is also possible to provide a heat insulating material on the upper surface side of the water repellent sheet for preventing the temperature rise of the roots of the plants. As the heat insulating material, for example, foamed plastic such as expanded polystyrene (foamed polystyrene) or a plurality of flexible plastic sheets laminated with an air layer formed therebetween can be used. The color of these materials is preferably one that easily reflects light. By using a heat insulating material, it is possible to prevent the root temperature from rising due to direct sunlight and promote healthy growth of the plant.

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a vertical-type hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a method for transplanting a plant to be cultivated.

The vertical-type hydroponic cultivation apparatus 1 has a pedestal 3 provided with a tilted holding section 2, a thin cultivation container 4 provided at an upper portion thereof with a tilt, and a lower end of the thin cultivation container 4 is inserted. It has the collected water collection tank 5. The gantry 3 is provided by combining a plurality of timbers, and the holding portion 2 is formed in a frame shape with an inclination angle with respect to the ground contact surface of, for example, 60 degrees.

The thin cultivation container 4 is formed to have a length of 1.8 m, a width of 0.9 m and a thickness of 5 to 20 mm when the tray 6 is arranged horizontally, and the dry weight thereof is 0.5 to.
It is about 1 kg. The vertical-type hydroponic cultivation device 1 is formed, for example, in a length of 1.0 m, a width of 1.0 m, and a height of 1.7 m, and the weight before pouring the nutrient solution is 1 to 3 kg. It is possible to secure a cultivation area about twice as large as The height can be further increased by providing the platform 3 with an elevating means such as stairs. In the present specification, the upper side and the lower side in the normal direction of the slantly arranged thin cultivation container 4 are the upper surface side and the lower surface side, respectively, and the height of the both ends in the longitudinal direction of the thin cultivation container 4 is high. The description will be made assuming that the lower end is the upper end and the lower end is the lower end.

The thin cultivation container 4 is provided with a tray 6, a water retaining portion 7, a root-blocking sheet 8, a water-repellent sheet 9 and a windproof net 10 which are laminated in this order from the lower surface side. The tray 6 that can be fixed to the holding portion 2 is a groove-shaped member having walls on both sides and is made of hard plastic. There are 5 inside the tray 6.
A water retention sheet 11 having a thickness of about 10 mm and made of a non-woven fabric having coarse mesh is disposed inside so as to retain water.

On the upper surface side of the water retaining sheet 11, there is provided a pumping sheet 12 which is disposed so as to cover the water retaining sheet 11 and absorbs nourishing water from the water retaining sheet 11 and conveys it to the upper surface side. Further, the pumping sheet 12 hangs vertically downward from the lower end portion of the water retaining sheet 11 and is arranged so as to be able to suck up the nutrient water in the water collecting tank 5. The pumping sheet 12 is made of a non-woven fabric having finer mesh and thinner than the water retaining sheet 11. The water retaining sheet 11 and the pumping sheet 12 constitute the water retaining section 7.

On the upper surface side of the water retaining portion 7, there is arranged a root-blocking sheet 8 which is permeable to water in the vertical direction and prevents the invasion of plant roots. The root-blocking sheet 8 is made of a finely woven fabric, and the stitches are formed in such a size that plant roots cannot pass through.

A water repellent sheet 9 which has been subjected to a titanium oxide coating treatment in advance is arranged on the upper surface side of the root shield sheet 8.
The lower end of the water repellent sheet 9 is covered on the outside of the water collection tank 5. On the upper surface side of the water repellent sheet 9, the plant 1 to be cultivated
The support part 14 which penetrates 3 and is attached is formed in multiple places, and the support part 14 is an example of the water blocking frame 1 which is an example of the through hole 15 and the frame member which surrounds this and which protrudes upward in the vertical direction.
6 and 6.

The waterproof frame 16 is formed by cutting a cylindrical member made of, for example, hard plastic at an angle of 60 degrees with respect to the axis. Then, the obliquely cut portion is attached to the water repellent sheet 9, and the opening 17 is arranged vertically upward. The plant 13 is attached in the state of a plant, but it is also possible to grow it from the state of a seed.

Since the water repellent sheet 9 is coated with titanium oxide, it is possible to effectively suppress the generation of algae. Further, since the water blocking frame 16 is provided, it is possible to prevent rainwater and the like from flowing in from the upper surface side of the water repellent sheet 9 through the through holes 15 and prevent the nutrient solution from flowing out from the inside. it can.

An irrigation pipe 18 is horizontally installed at the upper end of the device and between the water repellent sheet 9 and the root shield sheet 8. A plurality of unillustrated irrigation pipes 18 are provided on the outer periphery of the irrigation pipe 18. Nozzle holes are formed. The water collection tank 5 and the irrigation pipe 18 are connected by a pipe (not shown) and a small circulation pump, and can pump up the nourishing water from the water collection tank 5 to the upper end of the water retaining section 7.

Next, the usage state of the vertical-type hydroponic cultivation apparatus 1 will be described. The gantry 3 can be assembled, for example, at the installation position on the roof of a building or a veranda, but the assembled one may be moved. When installing the device, first attach the thin cultivation container 4 and the water collection tank 5 to the pedestal 3,
Install the circulation pump and piping. Next, water collection tank 5
The nutrient solution is caused to flow into the water, the circulation pump is operated, the nutrient solution is supplied to the water retaining section 7, and the plant 13 is attached to the thin cultivation container 4.

Now, the procedure for attaching the plant 13 will be described with reference to FIG. The plant 13 is grown from the seed state in the seedling raising pot 20 having the same shape as the water blocking frame 16. The seedling-growing pots 20 are arranged side by side at a narrow interval on the inclined root-blocking sheet 19a. The roots grow along with the growth of the plant 13, and are formed in the same shape as the seedling raising pot 20.
Then, when it reaches a predetermined size, it is taken out from the seedling raising pot 20 and inserted into the water blocking frame 16. Since the seedling raising pot 20 has the same outer diameter as the water stop frame 16, the plant 13 can be planted in the water stop frame 16 in the same state as before the movement.

During cultivation, the circulation pump is operated every predetermined time, for example, 2 to 4 times a day. When the nutrient solution is insufficient, the water collecting tank 5 can be replenished manually or automatically. The plant 13 transferred to the water-stop frame 16 extends its roots in the gap between the root-blocking sheet 8 and the water-repellent sheet 9 and grows further.

The supplied nutrient solution permeates and is retained by the water retaining sheet 11 via the root-shielding sheet 8 and the pumping sheet 12. Further, the nutrient solution held in the water retaining sheet 11 is sucked up by the pumping sheet 12. The roots of the plants 13 grown on the upper surface portion of the root-shielding sheet 8 absorb the nutrient solution from the pumping sheet 12 through the root-shielding sheet 8, while absorbing the air from the upper surface side and grow. When it rains or when a pesticide is sprayed, the rain and pesticide flow on the surface of the water repellent sheet 9 and are discharged, so that it can be prevented that the rain and the pesticide flow into the inside and adversely affect the growth of crops.

Next, a vertical type hydroponics device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 shows the second aspect of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the vertical-type hydroponic cultivation device according to the embodiment of FIG. The vertical-type hydroponic cultivation device 21 has an insect-proof cover 22, a translucent cover 23, and a large number of light-emitting elements 24 attached to the outside of the vertical-type hydroponic cultivation device 1 according to the first embodiment. Since the configuration is the same, the same numbers are given to the same members and the description thereof is omitted.

The vertical-type hydroponic cultivation device 21 is covered with an insect cover 22 so as to cover the plant 13. Since the insect-proof cover 22 is translucent, it does not hinder the growth of plants, and since it can be ventilated, heat is not trapped inside. Since it is possible to prevent pests from entering from the outside, maintenance can be simplified.

The light-transmitting cover 23 is detachably attached to the outside of the insect-repellent cover 22, shuts off the outside air, and forms a space 25 with the water-repellent sheet 9. Translucent cover 23
For example, a transparent flexible plastic film can be stretched on a predetermined frame, or can be made of glass or a hard plastic plate. A ventilation port 26 that can be opened or closed manually or automatically is provided at the upper end of the translucent cover 23. The translucent cover 23 can be attached, for example, in winter and removed in summer to be used. Further, when the temperature of the air in the space becomes too high, the ventilation port 26 can be opened to quickly and easily perform ventilation. When automatically opening and closing the ventilation port 26, for example, a fan or the like that operates depending on the installation temperature of the temperature controller can be used.

A large number of light emitting elements 24, each of which is composed of a red or blue light emitting diode, are attached to a plurality of mounting plates 27 by a predetermined number and are connected to a power source (not shown). A light emitting diode (LED) has a semi-permanent life, consumes a very small amount of electric power (1/5 to 1/10 of an incandescent lamp), and is efficient because it emits only light having a wavelength necessary for plants. An incandescent lamp or a fluorescent lamp needs to be separated by 1 m or more because it generates heat, and it irradiates useless light. However, since the LED hardly generates heat, bring the light source very close to the plant to increase the efficiency of light ( 5 to 10 cm) does not cause heat damage. A mounting plate 27 having a large number of light emitting elements 24 mounted thereon is detachably provided. With this configuration, it is possible to grow plants even in a place where sunlight is not irradiated, and the device can be used indoors.

Next, a vertical type hydroponics device according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The vertical nutrient solution cultivation device (not shown) is a heat insulating material that prevents the temperature of the root of the plant 13 from rising on the upper surface side of the water repellent sheet 9 of the vertical nutrient solution cultivation device 1 by avoiding the position of the waterproof frame 16. A sheet member that is an example has a thickness of
It is a stack of 10 cm. Direct sunlight can be softened by the sheet member laminated to a predetermined thickness, and it is possible to prevent the temperature of plant roots and nutrient water from rising.

[0039]

The present invention has the following effects. (1) Since it has a water retention part, even if it inclines, it can be kept for a certain period of time without letting out nutrient water, and the planted area can be increased to efficiently grow plants. (2) In addition, since it has a simple structure, it can be easily installed and removed, and because it is lightweight, it does not place a burden on the installation site, and because it has a root-blocking sheet, the roots of the plant are inside the water retaining section. Since the roots do not infiltrate into the fibers and the roots do not bite into the fibers, the roots can be completely recovered without being left in the fibers when tidying up after harvesting or cultivation is completed. Furthermore, it is possible to uniformly supply nutrient water from the water retaining portion to the roots of a plurality of plants and to naturally supply air to the upper portions of the roots.

(3) Further, when a water repellent sheet is provided, it prevents rainwater and pesticides from entering the water repellent sheet from the outside to the inside and prevents the nutrient solution from leaking from the inside to the outside. It is possible to prevent fluctuations in concentration. (4) Further, by providing a water retention sheet and a pumping sheet that sucks up nutrients from the moisture retaining sheet and conveys the nutrients upward, even if the roots of plants are placed above the pumping sheet, sufficient nutrients can be supplied evenly. Therefore, since complicated piping equipment is not required, the device can be manufactured lightweight and at low cost.

(5) Further, the water retaining sheet and the pumping sheet are formed of non-woven fabric, and the non-woven fabric used for the pumping sheet is
If you make the eyes finer and thinner than the water retention sheet,
A large amount of nutrient water can be retained in the water retaining sheet, and the nutrient moisture retained on the lower surface side of the water retaining sheet can be efficiently moved upward. (6) Further, when the support member is provided with a frame member surrounding the periphery of the through hole, the nutrient solution is prevented from flowing out from the through hole, and rainwater, fertilizer and the like are prevented from flowing into the inside from the through hole. It can be prevented and the growth condition can be made uniform by suppressing the fluctuation of the components of the nutrient solution. (7) Further, when the opening of the frame member is formed vertically upward, the plant can be cultivated vertically, so that the work can be performed easily and the bending of the stem can be reduced. it can. (8) Further, when the translucent cover is provided, the temperature required for growth can be maintained even in the low temperature period, and the device can be used for a long period of time. Further, if the ventilation port is provided only in the upper part, the ventilation is efficiently performed, so that the labor of the work can be saved. (9) Further, if an insect cover is provided, the attachment of harmful insects can be prevented outdoors, and the extermination work can be omitted. (10) Further, by providing a large number of light emitting elements on the upper surface side of the water repellent sheet, plants can be grown even indoors or in a place with little light. Further, since it is not necessary to consider the sunshine angle, it is not necessary to consider the inclination angle of the tray, the inclination angle can be increased to reduce the installation area, and the trays can be densely arranged. (11) Further, when the heat insulating material is provided on the upper part of the water repellent sheet, it is possible to prevent the temperature rise of the root of the plant and promote the growth of the plant.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a vertical-type hydroponics device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for transplanting a plant to be cultivated using the vertical type hydroponic cultivation device.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a vertical-type hydroponics device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Vertical hydroponics device 2 holding part 3 mounts 4 Thin cultivation containers 5 water collection tank 6 trays 7 water retention section 8 Rooting sheet 9 Water repellent sheet 10 Windproof net 11 Water retention sheet 12 Pumping sheet 13 plants 14 Support 15 through holes 16 Water-stop frame (frame member) 17 openings 18 Irrigation pipe 19a Root sheet 20 seedling pot 21 Vertical Hydroponics 22 insect cover 23 translucent cover 24 Light emitting element 25 Space Department 26 Ventilation port 27 Mounting plate

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A gantry having an inclined holding unit, a tray that can be fixed to the holding unit, a water retaining unit that is disposed in the tray and can retain water, and an upper surface side of the water retaining unit. And a water repellent sheet that is vertically permeable and that prevents plant roots from invading, and a support portion that is disposed on the upper surface side of the root shielding sheet and has a support portion that is attached to penetrate the plant at a plurality of locations. And a water collecting tank provided below the slope portion and capable of collecting the nutrient water from the lower end portion of the water retaining portion, and a circulation pump for pumping the nutrient water from the water collecting tank to the upper end portion of the holding portion. A vertical-type hydroponics device. 2. The water retaining section has a water retaining sheet capable of retaining water therein, and a pumping sheet disposed so as to cover an upper portion and a side portion of the water retaining sheet and sucking up nourishing water from the water retaining sheet and carrying it upward. The vertical-type hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein. 3. The water retaining sheet and the pumping sheet are made of non-woven fabric, and the non-woven fabric used for the pumping sheet is
The vertical-type hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the water retention sheet has finer meshes and a smaller thickness. 4. The vertical-type hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support portion has a frame member surrounding the periphery of the through hole. 5. The vertical-type hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the opening of the frame member is formed vertically upward. 6. A light-transmitting cover is attached to the upper surface of the water-repellent sheet to form a space by blocking outside air from the water-repellent sheet. The vertical-type hydroponic cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a ventilation port capable of being provided is provided. 7. The insect-repellent cover which covers the plant and is translucent and breathable is provided on the upper surface side of the water-repellent sheet. Vertical hydroponics device. 8. The vertical type according to claim 1, wherein a large number of light emitting elements that irradiate the plants with light are provided on the upper surface side of the water repellent sheet. Hydroponics equipment. 9. The heat insulating material for preventing the temperature rise of the roots of the plant is provided on the upper surface side of the water repellent sheet, according to any one of claims 1 to 5. Thin hydroponics device.