JP2009050233A - Method for harvesting cut vegetable and cut vegetable harvester - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems in which cutting of leaves requires much labor and productivity is low and cost is high, because there is not a machine for automatically cutting parts of leaves of vegetables. <P>SOLUTION: A method for cutting vegetables includes cutting upper part above a root of a vegetable during conveyance of a culturing panel in which vegetables grow and recovering the cut vegetables by feeding the vegetables with air. The vegetables are pushed toward the side of the cutting blade in order to be cut the at the rearmost row of the culturing panel without remaining. Also, the vegetables leaning or lying outside the culturing panel are gathered inward to be cut without remaining. The cut vegetable harvester is equipped with a conveying body, a cutting blade, a recovered air-jetting body for jetting recovering air for feeding the cut vegetable to the recovering body, a jetting body for jetting the following wind for pushing the vegetables to cutting blade side and a side guide for putting vegetables leaning or lying to the outside of the culturing panel during conveyance onto the inside. The height of the cutting blade is made adjustable. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cut vegetable harvesting method and a cut vegetable harvester that cut and harvest a portion above a root of a hydroponically grown vegetable, mainly a leaf portion.

  In recent years, baby leaves (cut vegetables) have been sold in supermarkets and department stores. A cut vegetable is a package of several grams to several tens of grams of a cut vegetable leaf portion (some of stems may be included). Many kinds of vegetables are often mixed and packaged.

  Conventionally, since there is no machine suitable for automatically cutting the leaf portion, cutting requires a lot of labor and labor, resulting in poor productivity and high cost.

  The present invention provides a cut vegetable harvesting method and a cut vegetable harvesting machine used for the method, which can automatically perform the process from cutting to harvesting of a vegetable leaf portion.

  The cut vegetable harvesting method of the present invention is a method of cutting a portion above the root of the vegetable with a cutting blade during conveyance of the cultivation panel on which the vegetable is growing, and collecting the cut vegetable by collecting wind. It is. In this case, the vegetables to be cut were pushed toward the cutting blade side by the tailwind so that the vegetables in the last row in the conveyance direction of the cultivation panel could be cut without being left uncut. The vegetables on the outside of the cultivation panel being transported can be cut inward.

  The cut vegetable harvesting machine of the present invention has a transport body that transports a cultivation panel on which vegetables are grown, a cutting blade that cuts an upper part of the vegetable root during transport, and a cut vegetable in the collection section. A recovery wind ejection body for ejecting the recovery wind to be sent is provided. A tail wind ejector that ejects a tail wind that pushes the vegetables toward the cutting blade is provided in front of the cutting blade so that the vegetables in the last row in the transport direction can be cut without being cut. A side guide that brings the vegetables outside the cultivation panel being transported inside is provided so that vegetables that are inclined or fallen outside the cultivation panel can be cut without being cut. The height of the cutting blade can be adjusted according to the type of vegetables and the growing conditions.

The cut vegetable harvesting method of the present application has the following effects.
1. Workability is good because the leaves of vegetables growing on the cultivation panel can be automatically and continuously cut.
2. Since the vegetables in the last row in the conveyance direction of the cultivation panel can be cut without leaving the vegetables in the width direction, there is no waste of vegetables.
3. In order to leave the roots of the vegetables on the cultivation panel, if the cultivation panel after cutting is returned to the hydroponics bed, new leaves grow from the remaining roots, and the leaves can be cut again, so that productivity is good.

The cut vegetable harvesting machine of the present application has the following effects.
1. Since the vegetables can be cut automatically just by placing the cultivation panel on the carrier, the cutting work is easy.
2. Since the cut vegetables can be collected in the collection wind, the vegetables can be collected without touching them, and there is no deterioration in the freshness of the vegetables due to human body temperature, and it is also hygienic.
3. Since the vegetables can be pushed to the cutting blade side by the tailwind, the vegetables in the last row in the conveyance direction of the cultivation panel can be cut and there is no uncut residue.
4). Since the vegetables on the side of the cultivation panel are automatically moved inward by the side guides, there is no uncut portion of the vegetables that are tilted or fallen outward.
5). The height of the cutting blade can be adjusted to cut the vegetable at the optimum position according to the type and growth of the vegetable.

(Embodiment of cut vegetable harvesting method)
In the cut vegetable harvesting method of the present invention, the vegetable 1 is grown by hydroponics and the cultivation panel 2 (FIG. 1) is set on the carrier 3 and conveyed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 (left side in FIG. 1). During the conveyance, the leaf portion of the vegetable 1 is cut (cut) by the cutting blade 4, and the cut leaf (cut vegetable) 5 is fed into the collecting portion 6 by the collecting air A1 as shown in FIG. To be collected. In this case, the cutting blade 4 is a clipper-type horizontal long blade having a length capable of cutting a horizontal row of vegetables growing vertically and horizontally on the cultivation panel 2 at a time. It can be cut one by one.

  At the time of the cutting, as shown in FIG. 3, the vegetables in the last row in the conveyance direction of the cultivation panel 2 are pushed to the cutting blade 4 side by the tailwind A2, and the vegetables in the last row in the conveyance direction that are easily pushed down by the cutting blade 4 It can be cut without leaving it. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, vegetables that are inclined or fallen on both outer sides of the transfer panel 2 are moved toward or inward as shown in FIG. 5 so that the vegetables can be cut without being left uncut. At the time of these cuttings, the height of the cutting blade 4 is adjusted according to the kind of vegetables and the growing condition so that the leaf portion can be cut at the optimum position.

(Embodiment of cut vegetable harvesting machine)
The cut vegetable harvesting machine of the present invention has a transport body 3 (FIGS. 1 and 7) for transporting the cultivation panel 2 on a movable cart 10 (FIG. 4), and a vegetable 1 growing on the cultivation panel 2 ( In order to send the cutting blade 4 (FIG. 1) that cuts the portion of FIG. 2) above the root 11 (near the boundary between the leaf and stem) and the cut vegetables (cut vegetables) 5 to the recovery unit 6 (FIG. 1). And a high-pressure air (following wind) A2 for raising the vegetable 1 forward in the conveying direction (the cutting blade 4 side) as shown in FIG. A side wind guide 14 (FIG. 7) for bringing the tail wind ejector 13 to be ejected and the vegetables 1 growing on the cultivation panel 2 being conveyed from the outer side in the width direction of the cultivation panel 2 to the inner side is provided.

  The carriage 10 has a moving wheel (for example, a caster) 16 attached under a horizontally long rectangular frame 15 (FIGS. 4 and 6) made of steel. The frame 15 has a conveying body 3 (FIGS. 6 and 8), a cutting blade 4 (FIGS. 6 and 7), a recovery wind ejection body 12 (FIG. 6), a tail wind ejection body 13 (FIG. 6), and a transportation body driving motor M1. (FIGS. 6 and 8), cutting blade lifting drive motor M2 (FIG. 6), cutting blade reciprocating drive motor M3 (FIGS. 4, 5, and 9), cutting blade lifting drive motor reducer R (FIGS. 4 and 5) 9), various driving bodies such as a blower turbo blower TB, various buttons for starting, stopping, operating, adjusting and the like of these devices, and a recovery body driving mechanism 17 for raising and lowering the outlet 6b side of the recovery body 6 6), a control blade 19 (FIGS. 6 and 9) equipped with a cutting blade lifting mechanism 18 for raising and lowering the cutting blade 4, a meter, a lamp, and the like are mounted.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the transport body 3 is composed of two chains 21 arranged in parallel to the frame 15 and two guide bars 22 arranged in parallel therewith. Each chain 21 is a motor. The drive sprocket 24 of the drive shaft 23 driven by M1 and the driven sprocket 26 of the driven shaft 25 are endlessly hung so as to rotate as the drive sprocket 24 and the driven sprocket 26 rotate. The interval between the two guide bars 22 is narrower than the width of the cultivation panel 2 so that the cultivation panel 2 can be placed, and the length of the upward traveling portion is set to place several cultivation panels 2. It is made as long as possible. Roller-like pushers 27 are attached laterally at several locations in the rotation direction of each chain 21, and when the chain 21 rotates, the pusher 27 becomes the rear end of the cultivation panel 2 (FIG. 7) on the guide bar 22. The edge is pushed so that the cultivation panel 2 can be conveyed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. The chain 21 and the guide bar 22 are provided up to the tip of the cutting blade 4, and a drawer pipe 28 (FIG. 8) is provided at the tip end side of the guide bar 22 so as to be drawn out and pushed in so that it can be drawn out to the tip of the frame 15. Yes, by pulling out, the cultivation panel 2 is conveyed to the tip of the frame 15 so that the operator can hold the cultivation panel 2 by hand and take it out from the drawer pipe 28.

  As the cutting blade 4 (FIG. 8), a clipper type blade is used. A movable blade is slidably disposed on the fixed blade, and the movable blade is reciprocated by a reciprocating drive motor M3. The leaves of vegetables 1 are cut by biting. As shown in FIG. 8, the cutting blade 4 is longer than the width of the cultivation panel 2 so that the horizontal row of vegetables growing on the cultivation panel 2 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, a safety fence 29 is formed in front of the cutting blade 4 by arranging a number of wires in parallel in the vertical direction so that the operator's hand does not enter the inside (cutting blade 4) side. It is. The cutting blade 4 can be raised and lowered by a cutting blade lifting mechanism 18 (FIG. 9). The cutting blade raising / lowering mechanism 18 includes a cutting blade raising / lowering drive motor M2 shown in FIG. 6, a rotary shaft 18a connected to the rotary shaft of the cutting blade raising / lowering drive motor speed reducer R as shown in FIG. It is composed of two sprockets 18b that are attached, a chain 18c that is hung on both sprockets 18b and connected to the cutting blade 4 at the lower part, two holders 18d, and the like. When the chain 18c is rotated, the cutting blade 4 is pulled up horizontally, the cutting blade lifting / lowering drive motor M2 rotates reversely, the rotating shaft 18a rotates reversely, and when the chain 18c is unwound, the cutting blade 4 moves. It is intended to descend horizontally. The cutting blade 4 can be raised and lowered intermittently by a predetermined pitch, or can be raised and lowered continuously so that it can be stopped at a desired height. The interval of the lifting pitch, the stop at a desired position during continuous lifting and the like can be designed in advance or can be set and adjusted by the control panel 19. The cutting blade 4 moves up and down using the holder 18d as a guide, is held by the holder 18d, and is held at a predetermined position. The rotary shaft 18a is supported by two bearings 18f installed and fixed on the support plate 18e, the holder 18d is fixed to the support plate 18e, and the lower part passes through the support plate 18e downward and is connected to the cutting blade 4. Yes. As the cutting blade, those other than the clipper type, for example, various types such as a rotary blade, a scissors type blade and an air cutter can be used.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the collection unit 6 is a rectangular flat hollow box-type duct, and an inlet 6a is opened on the side of the cutting blade, and an outlet 6b is opened downward. The collection unit 6 is arranged so that the inlet 6a that is longer than the horizontal width of the cutting blade 4 is inclined forward and downward, and is disposed in the front of the cutting blade 4 so that the horizontal rows of leaves cut by the cutting blade 4 are sent without leakage. It is. The outlet 6b is opened downward as shown in FIG. 7, and a ventilation lid 6c is stretched on the upper surface of the opening opposite to the outlet 6b so that high-pressure air (collected wind) fed from the inlet 6a can pass therethrough. For the vent lid 6c, a net or a punching metal or the like in which a large number of vent holes of such a size that the recovered wind can escape but the cut vegetables 5 do not jump out can be used.

  The outlet 6b side of the collection unit 6 can be moved up and down from the solid line position in FIG. 6 to the imaginary line position, and when rising, the container 7 is inserted and set on the container mounting table 30 (FIG. 2) below it. The container 7 on the container mounting table 30 can be pulled out and removed. At the time of cutting the vegetables, the outlet 6b descends as shown in FIG. 7 and covers the upper opening of the container 7 so that the cut vegetables 5 sent into the collection unit 6 by the collection wind are surely dropped into the container 7 and collected. It is made to do.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a recovery wind ejection body 12 is disposed laterally above the front side of the inlet 6 a of the recovery unit 6. The recovered wind ejection body 12 includes a large diameter blower pipe 12a and a plurality of branch passages 12b branched downward from the blower pipe 12a at regular intervals, and blows air from a blower shown in FIG. 6, for example, a turbo blower TB. High-pressure air (collected air) A1 (FIG. 2) sent into the pipe 12a is ejected from each branch passage 12b. Each branch path 12b has an outlet curved downward and directed toward the inlet 6a of the recovery unit 6. The cut vegetables 5 can be fed into the inlet 6a of the recovery unit 6 by air blown from the outlets. The outlet 6b side of the collection unit 6 is swung up and down from the solid line position in FIG. 6 to the virtual line position by a collection body drive mechanism (for example, an air cylinder) 17 shown in FIG. In the recovery body drive mechanism 17 (FIG. 6), the rod 17a is fixed to both outer side surfaces of the recovery portion 6, and the cylinder 17b is fixed to the frame 15. The rod 17a is lowered when the rod 17a is extended, and is raised when the rod 17a is contracted. It is like that.

  The tailwind jetting body 13 shown in FIG. 3 includes a nozzle 13a and a main pipe 13b. When the cultivation panel 2 is conveyed, the nozzle 13a is lowered below the conveyance body 3 as shown in FIG. 2 so as not to obstruct the conveyance of the cultivation panel 2, and after passing through the cultivation panel 2, the nozzle 13a is moved from the conveyance body 3 as shown in FIG. It is also possible to ascend to the top, spray high pressure air (following wind) A2 on the leaves, push the leaves in the last row in the conveying direction of the cultivation panel 2 to the cutting blade 4 side, and reliably cut without leaving the leaves in the last row It is. High pressure air is sent to the main pipe 13b from a blower (turbo blower) TB shown in FIG.

  Two side guides 14 shown in FIG. 7 are arranged on both sides in the width direction of the frame, and when the cultivation panel 2 is advanced by inclining the upper end side inward, the cultivation panel 2 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the vegetable 1 spreading or tilting on both outer sides in the width direction is brought into contact with the side guides 14 and is automatically moved or raised to the width direction of the cultivation panel 2. The vegetables 1 growing on both outer sides are also cut without leaving them.

(Example of cut vegetable harvesting method)
Cutting vegetables with the cut vegetable harvesting machine of the present invention is as follows.
1. As shown in FIG. 6, the outlet 6 b side of the collection unit 6 is raised, and the operator pushes the container 7 onto the container setting table 30 and installs it.
2. The operator takes out the cultivation panel 2 on which the vegetables 1 are grown from the hydroponics bed and places it on the guide bar 22 of the carrier 3 as shown in FIG.
3. The control panel 19 is operated to rotate the chain 21 of the transport body 3 and push the rear end face of the cultivation panel 2 with the pusher 27 (FIG. 8) attached to the chain 21, so that the cultivation panel 2 is moved to the front cutting blade 4. Transport to the side.
4). The vegetable 1 of the cultivation panel 2 in conveyance is cut with the cutting blade 4 like FIG. The height of the cutting blade 4 is set in advance at the cutting position in accordance with the type of vegetables 1, the growth situation, and the like. Cutting with the cutting blade 4 is continuously performed while the cultivation panel 2 is being conveyed.
5). As shown in FIG. 4, the vegetables 1 on both outer sides in the width direction of the cultivation panel 2 that are inclined or fallen outside the cultivation panel 2 come into contact with the side guides 14 as shown in FIG. Then, they are brought to the inside of the cultivation panel 2 and the vegetables are cut without being left uncut.
6). When cutting of the vegetable 1 of the cultivation panel 2 proceeds and the cultivation panel 2 passes over the nozzle 13a of the tail wind ejector 13, the nozzle 13a rises above the carrier 3 as shown in FIG. The trailing wind A2 causes the vegetables 1 in the last row of the cultivation panel 2 to be pressed (or raised) against the cutting blade 4 and pressed against the cutting blade 4, and the vegetables are cut without being left uncut.
7). As shown in FIG. 2, the recovery wind A <b> 1 is sent out from the nozzle 12 a of the recovery wind ejector 12, and the cut vegetables 5 are skipped and sent into the recovery unit 6. The cut vegetables 5 that have passed through the collection unit 6 fall from the outlet 6b of the collection unit 6 into the container 7 and are collected.
8). By placing a new cultivation panel 2 on the guide bar 22 of the carrier 3, the cultivation panel 2 is conveyed as described above, and the vegetables 1 are cut during the conveyance. The vegetables 1 of the cultivation panel 2 placed on the guide bar 22 of the carrier 3 are sequentially cut as described above and collected in the container 7.
9. When the cut vegetables 5 are collected in the container 7, the outlet 6 b side of the collection unit 6 is raised, the container 7 is pulled out from the container setting table 30, and another container is inserted on the empty container setting table 30 for replacement. To do.
Ten. The cultivated panel 2 that has been cut is transported by the transport body 3 as it is, and sent to the top of the drawer pipe 28 (FIG. 8). An operator takes out the cultivation panel 2 and returns it to the hydroponics bed.
11． When cutting of the vegetables 1 of all the cultivation panels 2 on the hydroponics bed is completed, the cut vegetable harvester of the present invention is moved to the next hydroponics bed and cut the vegetables as described above. To do.

  Vegetable 1 is cultivated in the same manner as normal hydroponics. Since the root part 11 remains in the cultivation panel 2 from which the vegetables 1 have been cut, if the cultivation panel 2 after cutting is returned to the hydroponics bed, new leaves can grow and be cut again. . Leaves can be harvested about 2 to 3 times from a single cultivation panel 2. The last harvested cultivation panel 2 can be put together in another place and prepared for the next cultivation without returning to the hydroponics bed.

The side view just before cutting vegetables with the cut vegetable harvesting machine of this invention. The side view of the state which cuts vegetables with the cut vegetable harvesting machine of this invention, and is sent to the collection part with collection wind. The side view of the state which raised the collection part with the cut vegetable harvesting machine of the present invention. The front view of the state which is conveying the cultivation panel with the cut vegetable harvesting machine of this invention. The front view of the state which has brought the vegetable of the width direction both outer sides of a cultivation panel inward (raised) with the side guide of the cut vegetable harvesting machine of this invention inside. The arrangement | positioning outline | summary side view of the structural member of the cut vegetable harvesting machine of this invention. The schematic perspective view of the cut vegetable harvesting machine of this invention. The schematic top view of the flame | frame and conveyance body of the cut vegetable harvesting machine of this invention. The schematic front view of the cut vegetable harvesting machine of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vegetable 2 Cultivation panel 3 Conveyance body 4 Cutting blade 5 Cut vegetable 6 Collection part 6a Collection part entrance 6b Collection part exit 6c Collection part ventilation lid 7 Container 10 Carriage 11 Root 12 Collection wind ejection body 12a Collection wind ejection body Air blow pipe 12b Collected wind ejector branch 13 Trailing wind ejector 13a Follower ejector nozzle 13b Follower ejector main pipe 14 Side guide 15 Frame 16 Moving wheel 17 Collected body drive mechanism 17a Collected body drive mechanism rod 17b Collected Body drive mechanism cylinder 18 Cutting blade lifting mechanism 18a Rotating shaft 18b of cutting blade lifting mechanism Sprocket 18c Chain 18d Holder 18e Support panel 19 Control panel 21 Chain 22 Guide bar 23 Drive shaft 24 Drive sprocket 25 Drive shaft 26 Drive sprocket 27 Push Tool 28 Drawer pipe 29 Safety fence 30 Container installation stand A1 Recovery wind A2 Trailing wind M1 Conveyor drive motor M2 Cutting blade lift drive motor M3 Cutting blade reciprocating drive motor R Cutting blade lift drive motor speed reducer TB Turbo blower

Claims (7)

  Cut vegetable harvesting method, characterized in that the cultivation panel on which vegetables are grown is conveyed by a carrier, the upper part of the vegetable root is cut during conveyance, and the cut vegetables are collected by sending them in a collection wind. .   The cut vegetable harvesting method according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable is cut while pushing the vegetable toward the cutting blade side with a tailwind.   The cut vegetable harvesting method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vegetables on the outside in the width direction of the cultivation panel being transported are cut inward while being cut.   A transport body that transports the cultivation panel on which the vegetables are grown, a cutting blade that cuts the upper part of the vegetable roots while transporting, and a recovery wind ejector that ejects the recovery wind that sends the cut vegetables to the recovery section Cut vegetable harvesting machine characterized by comprising.   The cut vegetable harvesting machine according to claim 4, further comprising a tail wind ejector for ejecting a tail wind that pushes the vegetables growing on the cultivation panel toward the cutting blade before the cutting blade. .   The cut vegetable harvester according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising a side guide for bringing the vegetables being conveyed from the side to the inside.   7. The cut vegetable harvester according to claim 4, wherein the height of the cutting blade is adjustable.

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