JP2007222060A - Seedling transplanting holder, and seedling transferring device and planting station having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a seedling transplanting holder for automatically connecting a separating process, an adjusting process and a planting process, and to provide a seedling transferring device and planting station having the holder. <P>SOLUTION: This seedling transplanting holder has a case which has an input opening to charge seedlings into, a pair of grasping plates which have notch parts and are engaged and placed in the case, and a spring which energizes most suitable grasping force to the grasping plates. The holder comprises thrusting one or two grasping plate(s) extending to the outside of the case to bring the input opening to an opened condition, and releasing thrust force to one or two grasping plate(s) extending to the outside of the case to grasp the seedlings charged into the input opening by the notch parts of the pair of grasping plates. The seedling transferring device and planting station having the holder are each provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a seedling (larve sprout) transplantation holder, a seedling transport apparatus and a planting station provided with the same, and more specifically, a holder for connecting apparatuses used in an automatic seedling transplanting process. In addition, the present invention relates to a seedling conveying apparatus and an implantation station provided with the same.

In addition to the production of seedlings and cuttings seedlings that have been used so far in the production of horticultural crops and tree seedlings in recent years, micropropagation allows mass propagation of sterilized clones of excellent individuals and rooting them into seedling products Has become widespread.
As a general technique, a growing tissue point is cut out from a plant individual in a sterile environment, provided with a culture environment in vitro (in a sterile transparent container), grown into multi-buds, and further proliferated in large quantities by subculture. After each grown bud was grown to an optimal size in vitro, the shoot was again separated in a sterile environment, transferred to a container for rooting, cultured again in vitro, and germinated clonal seedlings after completion of rooting. There is something to be a product. This is a technique that utilizes the fact that an infected seedling does not invade the growth point tissue that is the source of plant growth.

  As described above, the production process in the plant factory mainly includes a transplanting process in which separated seedlings are implanted into a sterile container and an in vitro culture process. The seedling culture process is almost automated, but the transplanting process is still carried out by hand, and the need for mechanization has increased due to the need to secure a large number of excellent workers during the busy season. Yes.

  However, at the time of automation, in order to divide and transplant young shoots of an irregular shape, it is necessary to make a high-level and complicated recognition of which part of the stem is cut at which position. In addition, the young buds are soft and fragile, and when an excessive gripping force is applied, there is a problem that the stem duct is broken and the subsequent growth does not proceed smoothly. For this reason, in order to automatically transplant shoots, it is indispensable to control a slight grip force.

  As a seedling division transplantation device, a device that recognizes the shape of a seedling by a recognition device using laser light and guides a gripping mechanism and a cutting mechanism to a predetermined height position of the seedling based on the recognition result is proposed. (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  In addition, the transplanted seedling transplanting system scans the stem shape of the seedlings on the open tray with a slit laser beam and PSD sensor, controls the gripping force by feedback with a strain sensor, and automatically produces the inserted seedlings with a manipulator. It has been proposed (Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2).

JP-A-3-228607 JP-A-5-3707 M. Takatsuji, Handbook of Plant Factory, Tokai University Press, pp. 123 {159, 1997. Tokai University Press: “Plant Factory Handbook”, Tokai University Press (1997), pp123-159 Takayama Kosaku CMC Publishing Seedling Production System (1992 First Edition 2002 Popular Edition pp180)

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a clone seedling growing process. In the cultivation of cloned seedlings, the seedling culture process is almost automated, but the separation process, the adjustment process, and the implantation process are individually automated. Most of the costs associated with growing seedlings are labor costs, and by mechanically connecting them, the production cost of seedlings can be greatly reduced. In addition, when manual work is involved, the yield is reduced due to virus contamination, resulting in an increase in production cost.
As an apparatus for split transplantation of seedlings, there are the apparatuses described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, but there is no apparatus for connecting them. That is, in the adjustment process such as cutting of the lower leaf, a device for holding the separated seedling in an open space is necessary. In order to automatically plant the adjusted seedling, it is manually transferred to the planting device. Had to do.

  Therefore, in view of the above problems, the present invention provides a seedling transplanting holder for mechanically delivering seedlings to a planting process in a plant factory, and a seedling transport device and a planting station provided with the same. For the purpose.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the holder of the present invention, the seedling transport device and the planting station provided with the holder are configured as follows.
That is, the first invention has a case having an insertion port into which a seedling is introduced, a pair of gripping plates that have a notch and are placed in mesh within the case, and an optimum gripping force for the gripping plate. A pressing force applied to one or two gripping plates extending to the outside of the case when the one or two gripping plates extending to the outside of the case are pushed in to open the opening. The notch portions of the pair of gripping plates are seedling transplanting holders for gripping the seedlings that have been input into the input port.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a case having a plurality of insertion ports into which seedlings are introduced, a pair of gripping plates having a plurality of notches and being placed in mesh in the case, and an optimum grip for the gripping plate One or two gripping plates that extend to the outside of the case, with one or two gripping plates extending to the outside of the case, all of the inlets being opened By releasing the pressing force, the notch portions of the pair of gripping plates are seedling transplanting holders for gripping the seedlings that have been put into the slot.
A third invention is characterized in that, in the first or second invention, the holder is made of a material capable of high-temperature and high-pressure sterilization.
A fourth invention is characterized in that, in the first, second or third invention, the case can be inserted and a holder case fixed to a conveyor is provided.
5th invention comprises the conveyor which fixedly arrange | positioned the holder for transplanting of the seedlings in any one of 1st thru | or 4 at a fixed space | interval, and a pair of side guide which has one or two pushing guides on the side of the conveyor. When the seedling transplantation holder is transported to the position of the push guide, one or two holding plates extending to the outside of the case are pushed in, the inlet is opened, and the seedling transplantation is performed. When the holding tool passes through the pushing guide, the pair of gripping plates grips the seedling that has been put into the insertion port.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a conveyor that conveys the seedling transplanting holder according to any one of the first to third aspects of the invention, and a stopper that stops the seedling transplanting holder at the end of the conveyor. It is a seedling transport device provided.
In a seventh aspect based on the sixth aspect, the overall length of the conveyor is a length that can be arranged in series at a predetermined interval so that the longitudinal direction of the seedling transplanting holder coincides with the transport direction. It is characterized by that.
8th invention is the discharge | emission which consists of a well-known conveyance instrument which is arrange | positioned adjacent to the termination | terminus part of a carrying-in conveyor in the 6th or 7th invention, and carries out the said holder for transplanting the said seedling in the conveyance direction different from a carrying-in conveyor. And a known transfer device for transferring the seedling transplanting holder, which is disposed adjacent to the carry-in conveyor on the opposite side of the discharge device and stopped by the stopper, to the discharge device.
A ninth invention comprises a seedling transport device according to any of the fifth to eighth inventions, and a robot hand for transplanting seedlings of a seedling transplanting holder stopped by a stopper into a transplanting container, This is a transplanting station in which the robot hand grips a seedling from a direction orthogonal to the gripping of the seedling by a pair of gripping plates.
By having such a configuration, the posture of the seedling can be corrected at the time of delivery to the robot hand. This is because the seedling is easily swayed in one direction by the gripping plate, and the seedling is corrected by the robot hand gripping the seedling from the left and right in the direction in which the seedling easily swings.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to mechanically deliver seedlings to a planting process in a plant factory.

The transfer apparatus 103 of the present invention is used for the purpose of connecting a separation station 101 and an adjustment station 102 upstream thereof and an implantation station 104 downstream thereof.
The separation station 101 delivers the separated shoots to the adjustment station 102. The shoots adjusted by the adjustment station 102 are transferred by the transfer device 103 of the present invention, transferred to the implantation station 104, and the implantation station 104. In vitro implantation is performed. For example, FIG. 2 is an arrangement example of the transfer device 103 of the present invention in the seedling automatic transplanting process. The transfer between the separation station 101 and the adjustment station 102 may be performed by the transfer device 103 of the present invention. In the case where the adjustment station 102 is not provided, the transfer from the separation station 101 to the implantation station 104 is performed according to the present invention. You may carry out by the conveying apparatus 103.
The transport apparatus 103 of the present invention has a configuration in which holders are arranged at predetermined intervals on a conveyor. In order to realize automation, the holder has a shutter mechanism that automatically opens and closes. Although it is conceivable to provide an electric shutter mechanism on the holder, it is preferable to make the structure as simple as possible because periodic treatments such as washing with water and high-temperature sterilization are necessary to prevent the propagation of germs.

  In the following, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described by way of examples, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the examples.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the transport device 103 is composed of a plurality of holders 1 fixed on the guide roller 7. Although the holder 1 is arrange | positioned at 15 mm or 18 mm pitch, the space | interval of arrangement | positioning is not limited to these. Side guides 3 are provided on both sides of the holder 1, and push guides 5 are provided in the middle of the side guides 3.
The guide roller 7 is intermittently moved at a predetermined interval to convey the holder 1, and when the holder 1 comes to the position of the push guide 5, the grip plate 11 is pushed into the holder 1 by the push guide 5, The inlet 13 is opened. At the timing when the input light is in the open state, the adjusted buds are input from the adjustment station 102 to the input port 13, and then the guide roller 7 is operated so that the input port is closed and the shoots are gripped. To the implantation station 104.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the holder 1 places the gripping plate 11 biased by the spring 15 in the concave groove of the substantially rectangular case 21, and opens and closes the insertion port 13 of the upper plate 12 by the gripping plate 11. It is the composition to do.
In FIG. 5, the two gripping plates 11 extend outside the case 21, but one of the gripping plates 11 is shortened and fixed inside the case, and only the other gripping plate 11 extends outside the case 21. You may comprise so that it may take out.
The member constituting the holder 1 is not limited to a specific member as long as it is light and resistant to wear, but it is preferably made of a material that can be sterilized at high temperature and high pressure such as an autoclave, a chemical solution, or other bacteria.

The spring 15 is a metal push spring, and is configured such that when the young bud is inserted into the insertion port 13 and is in a closed state, a minimum gripping force is required to erect the young bud. Yes.
The conveying device of this embodiment is applied to young plant buds, but has a stem shape and is suitable for mass cultivation for planting. Table 1 shows the diameter of the shoot stem and the optimum gripping force used in this example.

  There is a risk that sap will adhere to the holder and become a hotbed for germs and mold. Therefore, as described above, it is necessary to prevent the propagation of germs and molds by high-temperature sterilization. However, even if the holder is not subjected to high-temperature sterilization, the same effect can be obtained by removing the holder and washing it with water. Therefore, in this embodiment, each holder is structured so that it can be easily attached / detached, so that the removed holder can be washed with water to remove germs.

The holder 1 of the present embodiment includes a case 21 and a case receiver 22 as shown in FIG. The case 21 has a concave groove as in the first embodiment, and the holding plate 11 and the spring 15 (not shown in FIG. 7) are placed in the concave groove, and are screwed by 12 on the upper plate.
The case receiver 22 is made of stainless steel and is fixed to the guide roller 7 through a screw hole 24. The case 21 is provided with a hole 23 at a position opposite to the screw hole 24 so that the screw for fixing the case receiver 22 can be retightened while the case 21 is mounted on the case receiver 22. Yes.

  Since the case 21 of this embodiment is detachable from the case receiver 22 and can be washed with water to remove germs, it can also be made of a heat-sensitive material such as resin.

As shown in FIG. 9, the multiple attachment holder 27 of this embodiment is provided with five inlets 13 by symmetrically arranging and engaging a pair of gripping plates 11 having a plurality of notches, and is usually provided by a spring 15. At this time, the inlet 13 is configured to be closed. When the ends of the pair of gripping plates 11 that are spring-biased are pushed in, all the inlets 13 are opened, and all the inlets 13 are closed by releasing the pressing force to the pair of gripping plates 11.
In the present embodiment, a multiple support holder 27 is fitted into the holder support frame 28 into which the end portions of the pair of gripping plates 11 are pushed, and the insertion port of the multiple connection holder 27 is opened. The adjusted seedling was mechanically introduced into the multi-attachment holder 27 by the seedling transfer device 26 which is an indirect robot. The insertion port of the multi-attachment holder 27 is deep enough to prevent the seedlings from falling even in the open state.
When the multi-equipment holder 27 is removed from the holder support frame 28, a force for closing the insertion port (minimum gripping force necessary to stand the seedling upright) acts on the gripping plate, and the seedling stands upright.

Subsequently, the multi-equipment holder 27 holding the seedlings is sequentially mounted on a holder support plate 29 that holds five multi-equipment holders 27 at regular intervals. When the five multi-equipment holders 27 are mounted on the holder support plate 29, they are placed on the carry-in conveyor 31 and conveyed.
When the holder support plate 29 is conveyed to the position of the stopper 32, a sensor (not shown) detects the holder support frame 29, and the seedlings thrown into the multiple attachment holder 27 by the multiple attachment robot hand 34 are transplanted containers. 35 are planted in turn. Although the implantation container 35 of the present embodiment is divided into 5 rows × 5 columns, the matrix number of implantation containers should be optimal for the configuration on the multi-attachment holder 27 and the holder support plate 29. prepare.

  When planting of seedlings of all the multi-attachment holders 27 mounted on the holder support plate 29 stopped by the stopper 32 is completed, the holder support plate 29 is transferred to the discharge conveyor 36 by the pusher 33. The holder support plate 29 placed on the discharge conveyor 36 is transported to the work space and reused. The pusher 33 of the present embodiment is configured by a cylinder (or electric) actuator.

  It is technically significant that the entire length of the carry-in conveyor 31 of the present embodiment can be arranged in series at a predetermined interval so that the holder support plate 29 coincides with the transport direction in the longitudinal direction. That is, if a plurality of the seedling transfer devices 26 are arranged, the working efficiency can be doubled. A plurality of seedling transfer devices 26 may be connected to one of the carry-in conveyors 31 or may be arranged with the carry-in conveyor 31 in between.

In addition, the device for discharging the holder support plate 29 after transplantation is not limited to the discharge conveyor 36, and an optimal one can be appropriately selected from known discharge devices, for example, having no drive source. It can also be constituted by an inclined table.
Furthermore, the pusher 33 can select an optimal thing suitably from a well-known transfer apparatus, for example, can also be comprised with a payout apparatus and a robot hand.

As shown in FIG. 10, the multi-attached hand 34 is an implantation hand constituted by a plurality of tweezers. So-called "reverse tweezers" are used, and when no force is applied from the outside, each tweezers is closed with the optimum gripping force, and when the motor driving force is applied, the gripping force gradually decreases. The tweezers will open. In the configuration of the present embodiment, by preparing an implantation hand suitable for a plant to be worked in advance, it is possible to obtain an optimum gripping force without performing fine control.
In the present embodiment, the configuration is based on “reverse tweezers”, but the configuration may be such that the optimum gripping force is calculated according to the type of plant. In that case, a configuration using a plurality of normal tweezers is used.
The configuration using the reverse tweezers has an advantage that the upper limit of the gripping force can be easily set. When controlling the gripping force, ordinary tweezers can be used if it is not necessary to specify an upper limit.

  The work in the work space, that is, the attaching / detaching work of the multi-attachment holder 27 to the holder support frame 28, the loading operation of the adjusted seedling into the multi-attachment holder 27, the holder support of the multi-attachment holder 27 The mounting operation on the plate 29 and the mounting operation of the holding tool support plate 29 on the carry-in conveyor 31 may be performed partly or entirely by a known robot or may be performed by an operator. .

It is a flowchart of the growth process of a clone seedling. It is an example of arrangement | positioning of the conveying apparatus 103 of this invention in the automatic transplanting process of a seedling. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the transport device according to the first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view of the transfer device according to the first embodiment. It is the top view and side view of a holder of Example 1. It is a top view of the components which comprise the holder of Example 1. It is the top view and side view of a case and a case receiver of Example 2. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a transfer device according to a third embodiment. It is the top view which showed the inside of the holder of Example 3 transparently. It is a block diagram of the multiple attachment hand of Example 3. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Holder 3 Side guide 5 Push guide 7 Guide roller 10 Seedling 11 Grasping plate 12 Upper plate 13 Loading port 15 Spring 19 Culture vessel 21 Case 22 Case receptacle 24 Screw hole 26 Seedling transfer device 27 Multiple attachment holder 28 Holding tool support frame 29 Holding tool support plate 30 Seedling transport device 31 Carry-in conveyor 32 Stopper 33 Pusher 34 Multi-connected robot hand 35 Implant container 36 Discharge conveyor

Claims (9)

A case having an insertion port into which a seedling is introduced; a pair of gripping plates which have a notch and are placed in mesh in the case; and a spring which urges the gripping plate with an optimum gripping force. ,
By inserting one or two gripping plates that extend outside the case, the inlet is opened,
A seedling transplanting holder in which a notch portion of a pair of gripping plates grips a seedling placed in a slot by releasing a pressing force to one or two gripping plates extending outside the case. A case having a plurality of insertion ports into which seedlings are input, a pair of gripping plates having a plurality of notches, and being placed in mesh within the case, and a spring that urges the gripping plate with an optimal gripping force And
By pushing in one or two gripping plates that extend outside the case, all the inlets are opened,
A seedling transplanting holder in which a notch portion of a pair of gripping plates grips a seedling placed in a slot by releasing a pressing force to one or two gripping plates extending outside the case.   The seedling transplant holder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the holder is made of a material that can be sterilized at high temperature and high pressure.   The holder for transplanting seedlings according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a holder case to which the case can be inserted and fixed to a conveyor. A conveyor in which the holding device for transplanting seedlings according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is fixedly arranged at regular intervals, and a pair of side guides having one or two pushing guides on the side of the conveyor,
When the seedling transplant holder is transported to the position of the push guide, one or two gripping plates extending to the outside of the case are pushed in, and the insertion port is in an open state,
The seedling transporting apparatus, wherein when the seedling transplanting holder passes through the pushing guide, the pair of gripping plates grips the seedling introduced into the insertion port.   A seedling conveying apparatus comprising: a conveyor that conveys one or more seedling transplanting holders according to any one of claims 1 to 3; and a stopper that stops the seedling transplanting holder at an end portion of the conveyor.   7. The seedling transport apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a total length of the conveyor is a length that can be arranged in series at a predetermined interval so that a longitudinal direction of the seedling transplanting holder coincides with a transport direction.   A discharge device that is arranged adjacent to the terminal end of the carry-in conveyor and that is composed of a known transfer device that carries out the seedling transplant holder in a different transfer direction from the carry-in conveyor, and is adjacent to the carry-in conveyor on the opposite side of the discharge device. The seedling transport device according to claim 6, further comprising a known transfer device configured to transfer the seedling transplanting holder disposed by being stopped by the stopper to a discharge device. A seedling conveying device according to any one of claims 5 to 8, and a robot hand for transplanting seedlings of a seedling transplanting holder stopped by a stopper into an implantation container,
The transplanting station in which the robot hand grips the seedling from a direction orthogonal to the holding of the seedling by a pair of gripping plates.