JP2010154791A - Plant cultivation device for domestic use - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a plant cultivation device for domestic use which is widely applicable to various kinds of plants, and by which cultivation can be efficiently carried out by promoting the growth of plants. <P>SOLUTION: The plant cultivation device for domestic use 1 includes cultivation beds 10 which are formed and held on a plurality of vertically arranged stages, a ceiling portion 15 which has an artificial light source vertically movable in response to the growth of the plants P under cultivation, and a gas-supplying portion 16 which is vertically movable in conjunction with the artificial light source. The cultivation bed 10 comprises a cultivation tank, and a planting panel which is attached to the upper part of the cultivation tank to form a channel for a nutrient solution A and in which the plants P are planted in such a manner that the plant roots are exposed toward the channel. The nutrient solution A supplied to the cultivation bed 10 is passed through the channel, discharged therefrom, then circulated and reused as allowing the nutrient solution A to intermittently flow into the channel. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a plant cultivation apparatus for hydroponically cultivating plants such as vegetables, more specifically,
The present invention relates to a so-called home plant cultivation apparatus that can be suitably used in general households, stores, offices, and the like.

  The plant cultivation device used in general households is preferably a space-saving device that does not take up an installation area. From this viewpoint, a “household plant cultivation device” as described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed in the past. ing.

  However, since the apparatus described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 mainly uses only sunlight, sunshine hours may be insufficient, or conversely, sunlight may be too strong, making cultivation difficult.

  On the other hand, as a system for hydroponically cultivating plants such as vegetables using artificial light together, a cultivation floor is provided substantially vertically, and a nutrient solution is sprayed on the plant root exposed on the back side of the cultivation floor. System "(for example, Patent Document 2). If this plant cultivation system is used, even if it is a narrow space, it becomes possible to improve production efficiency markedly.

JP-A-61-88820 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-92859

However, in the plant cultivation system described in Patent Document 2, since the planting posture of the plant is restricted, it is clear that some plants are difficult to grow depending on the type of plant (for example, cabbage). Yes.
Moreover, what was described in the said patent document 2 assumed the very huge system, and it was difficult to apply it easily as an apparatus used in a general household.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can be widely applied to various types of plants, and can also be used for home plant cultivation that can promote plant growth and efficiently cultivate. The object is to provide an apparatus.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the domestic plant cultivation apparatus according to claim 1 is a household plant cultivation apparatus in which a transferable box is formed, and necessary facilities are stored inside the box. Cultivated plants are planted in a plurality of upper and lower tiers, and are arranged and held substantially horizontally, and artificially provided above each cultivated bed and moved up and down as the cultivated plants grow A ceiling part having a light source, and moved up and down in conjunction with the artificial light source, blown out air whose temperature, CO ₂ concentration and the like are adjusted toward the cultivated plant and the artificial light source planted on the cultivation bed An air supply section having a jet outlet, and the cultivation bed is fitted to the upper open box type cultivation tank and the upper part of the cultivation tank, and the flow of nutrient solution is between the bottom of the cultivation tank Forming a path and planting towards the flow path A planting panel for planting the cultivated plant so that the roots are exposed, and the nutrient solution supplied to the cultivation bed is circulated and recirculated after being discharged through the channel. While being utilized, the gist is that the nutrient solution is controlled to flow intermittently into the flow path.

  Moreover, the plant cultivation apparatus for household use of Claim 2 is provided with the drive part which suspends this ceiling part above each ceiling part in the structure of Claim 1, respectively. And a pair of left and right arms that are formed in a rotatable U-shape and screwed to form a rhombus shape in a plan view. The gist of the invention is that the ceiling can be moved up and down via a suspension member connected to the arm by expanding and contracting the arm in the left-right direction as the shaft bolt rotates.

  Moreover, the household plant cultivation apparatus of Claim 3 WHEREIN: While the recessed part which has a reflective inclined wall surface is formed in this ceiling part in the structure of Claim 2, this artificial light source is in this recessed part. The gist is that it is arranged.

  Moreover, the plant cultivation apparatus for household use of Claim 4 WHEREIN: While the box is coat | covered with the heat insulation panel in the structure of Claim 3, most of this box body front has this cultivation bed inside. The gist is that an opening / closing door fitted with a double-glazed glass overlooking the cultivated plant to be planted is provided.

The household plant cultivation apparatus of the present invention is a household plant cultivation apparatus in which a transferable box is formed, and necessary facilities are stored inside the box, and the cultivation plant is planted in a plurality of upper and lower stages. And a cultivation bed that is arranged and held substantially horizontally, a ceiling portion that is provided above each cultivation bed and has an artificial light source that is moved up and down according to the growth of the cultivated plant, and the artificial light source, And an air supply unit having a jet outlet that blows out air adjusted in temperature, CO ₂ concentration, and the like toward the cultivated plant and the artificial light source, which are moved up and down in conjunction with each other. The cultivation bed is fitted to the upper open box type cultivation tank and the upper part of the cultivation tank, and forms a nutrient solution flow path between the cultivation tank and the flow path. Plant the plant so that the plant roots are exposed. The nutrient solution supplied to the cultivation bed is circulated and reused after being discharged through the flow path, and the nutrient solution is Since it is controlled so as to intermittently flow into the flow path, it can be widely applied to various types of plants, and can promote efficient growth by promoting the growth of plants.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are views showing a plant cultivation apparatus 1 according to the embodiment, FIG. 1 is a perspective view, and FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an overall configuration. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the cultivation bed 10 of the plant cultivation apparatus 1, FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams showing the ceiling 15 and the air supply unit 16 of the plant cultivation apparatus 1, and FIG. 6 shows the drive unit 18 of the plant cultivation apparatus 1. FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plant cultivation apparatus 1 has a box 2 that can be moved as a whole in a rectangular parallelepiped shape (left and right 940 mm × depth 500 mm × height 2100 mm), and is required inside the box 2. Equipment is stored. As a necessary power source, a household power source 200V or the like is used.
As shown in FIG. 1, the box 2 is covered with a heat insulating panel 3, and a large opening / closing door 4 is provided on most of the front surface. The open / close door 4 is fitted with a multi-layer glass 5 through which a cultivated plant P to be planted on a cultivation bed 10 (described later) inside the box 2 can be seen. With such a configuration, the thermal load can be reduced and efficient production becomes possible. Moreover, the growth status etc. of the cultivated plant P can be easily confirmed, and it is possible to cultivate while having fun.

  Instead of the multi-layer glass 5, another material can be adopted. However, the double-glazed glass 5 is a preferable material because it has heat insulation properties and excellent transparency. Among these, low-radiation glass (Low-E glass) configured by pasting a predetermined metal film on the glass surface of the air layer is suitable because it exhibits extremely high heat insulating properties or heat shielding properties.

As shown in FIG. 2, a cultivation bed 10, a refrigeration unit 11, and a nutrient solution unit 12 are mainly stored inside the box 2. The refrigeration unit 11 and the nutrient solution unit 12 are respectively disposed at the uppermost and lowermost stages of the box 2, and the cultivation bed 10 is disposed across a plurality of upper and lower stages in the middle thereof. A ceiling part 15 and an air supply part 16 are disposed above each cultivation bed 10.
The cultivation bed 10 may be arranged separately for growing and raising seedlings, and the seedlings grown for a predetermined period for raising seedlings may be transferred to growing and then grown as cultivated plants P.
The box body 2 has a sealable structure, and the internal temperature, humidity, and the like are constant and optimal for the growth of the cultivated plant P throughout the year by the refrigeration unit 11 appropriately provided with the air supply fan 11a and the suction port 11b. The range is adjusted. When the suction port 11b is provided at a position as shown in FIG. 2, the warm air inside the box body 2 rises, so that the air can be easily circulated.

As shown in FIG. 2, the nutrient solution unit 12 includes a pump 20, a tank 21, a filter 22, a sterilizer 23, and the like, and circulates and supplies the nutrient solution A to each cultivation bed 10.
The nutrient solution A stored in the tank 21 is pumped up by the pump 20 and supplied to each cultivation bed 10 via the liquid supply pipe 25. As the nutrient solution A, a solution obtained by diluting liquid fertilizer is used. The nutrient solution A discharged from each cultivation bed 10 is again collected in the tank 21 via the drainage pipe 26. Between the drain pipe 26 and the tank 21, a filter 22 made of a filter and a sterilizer 23 using ultraviolet rays or the like are interposed so that sludge, dust, and the like are removed.
If necessary, an electromagnetic valve, a check valve for preventing backflow, and a discharge means for discharging the liquid as it is when not reused may be provided at various places.

  In addition, the tank 21 may be provided with automatic management means for holding the concentration, volume, and temperature of the nutrient solution A at a constant value by a sensor or the like. However, in order to prevent the apparatus from becoming excessive, the provision of such means may be omitted, and the nutrient solution A may be replaced with a new one periodically (for example, every two months).

  The cultivation bed 10 is arranged and held substantially horizontally by a gantry (not shown) rigidly configured in a rectangular parallelepiped frame shape, for example. Although the number of stages of the cultivation bed 10 varies depending on the installation location, the kind of plant, and the like, it is preferable to set the number of stages to about 3 to 5 from the viewpoint of space saving and production efficiency.

Each of the cultivation beds 10 has a rectangular plate shape (about 870 mm × 320 mm × 70 mm) as shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), and a predetermined position of the upper open box type cultivation tank 30 and the upper part of the cultivation tank 30. It is comprised from the planting panel 31 fitted by.
Between the bottom surface 30a of the cultivation tank 30 and the planting panel 31, the flow path 33 of the nutrient solution A is formed (FIG. 3C). And the nutrient solution A supplied from the liquid supply pipe 25 via the branch pipe 25a flows into the cultivation bed 10 from the liquid supply port 25c of the liquid supply part 25b, and continuously passes through this flow path 33, A drainage port 26b drilled at a predetermined position on the side surface of the cultivation tank 30 and a branch pipe 26a connected to the drainage port 26b are flowed down and discharged to the drainage tube 26.

  The planting panel 31 is provided with a large number of pot receiving holes 31a that support the pots 35 for planting the cultivated plants P at appropriate intervals. As shown in FIG. 3 (c), the pot receiving hole 31a has a narrowed shape and has a shape communicating vertically. On the other hand, the pot 35 has a shape corresponding to the pot receiving hole 31a and an open bottom, and accommodates the seedling of the cultivated plant P together with the soil. The plant root P ′ of the cultivated plant P is disposed so as to penetrate the pot 35 and be exposed below the planting panel 31.

  The nutrient solution A is electromagnetically controlled so as to intermittently flow into the flow path 33 via a motor (not shown) connected to the pump 20 of the nutrient solution unit 12. The supply of the nutrient solution A is stopped at regular intervals, and the growth of the cultivated plant P can be further promoted by alternately contacting the nutrient solution A and air with the plant root P ′. Therefore, it is more preferable if the planting panel 31 is provided with many through holes for taking in air, or the planting panel 31 itself is formed in a mesh shape.

  Moreover, in the cultivation bed 10, as shown to Fig.3 (a) (b), the adjustment plate 37 and the dam plate 38 are standingly arranged by the bottom face 30a of the cultivation tank 30, These adjustment plate 37 and a dam plate 38, the planting panel 31 is fitted. The dam plate 38 is formed on the downstream side of the flow path 33 in the cultivation tank 30, and when the nutrient solution A reaches a predetermined amount, the dam plate 38 flows over the dam plate 38 to the drain port 26b. Yes. The lower part of the adjustment plate 37 is formed by being cut out horizontally, and the nutrient solution A flowing down from the liquid supply port 25 c flows into the flow path 33. Thereby, the inside of the flow path 33 is almost filled with the nutrient solution A, and the plant root P ′ exposed toward the flow path 33 comes into contact with the nutrient solution A passing through the flow path 33, and the nutrients in the nutrient solution A It is made to be able to absorb enough.

  A small hole 39 is provided at an appropriate position below the barrier plate 38 (FIGS. 3A and 3B), and when the supply of the nutrient solution A is stopped, the nutrient solution in the flow path 33 is provided. All of A can be discharged to the drainage pipe 26. By discharging the nutrient solution A and allowing the plant root P 'to come into contact with air, the plant root P' is stimulated and actively sucks the nutrient solution A that flows in next. Thereby, the growth of the cultivated plant P is promoted.

  As the cultivated plant P, various types of plants such as vegetables and fruits are targeted. In particular, since the nutrient solution A in the flow path 33 is always kept fresh, wasabi, ginger, and the like can be suitably employed.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a ceiling portion 15 having an artificial light source 40 for irradiating the cultivated plant P is disposed above each cultivation bed 10. The ceiling part 15 is configured to be movable up and down with respect to the cultivation bed 10 via manual or automatic traveling means. In the present embodiment, the drive unit 18 is employed as the traveling means (FIG. 6), which will be described later.

  The ceiling part 15 and the artificial light source 40 are moved up and down as the cultivated plant P grows. If the intensity or amount of light is insufficient, the growth of the cultivated plant P is delayed. Conversely, if it is excessive, the cultivated plant P is burned. According to the ceiling part 15, it is easy to keep the distance between the artificial light source 40 and the cultivated plant P always appropriate (usually about 10 to 20 cm), and the growth of the cultivated plant P can be promoted. Become.

  As the artificial light source 40, a fluorescent lamp, a cold cathode lamp, an LED, or the like can be used alone or in combination so that a wavelength range preferable for the growth of the cultivated plant P can be obtained. In particular, LEDs are suitable because they have a low temperature rise and excellent durability.

As shown in FIG. 5, recesses 43 having inclined wall surfaces 42, 42 are formed on the lower surface of the ceiling portion 15 in two rows in the front-rear direction with a width substantially equal to the cultivation bed 10. In addition, the artificial light source 40 is disposed in the recess 43, and at least the inclined wall surface 42 is formed of a reflective material. Although the inclination angle of the inclined wall surface 42 can be appropriately set according to the direction in which the light from the artificial light source 40 is desired to be reflected, it is preferably about 30 to 45 °. With such a configuration, even in a narrow space, the light from the artificial light source 40 can be provided to the cultivated plant P very efficiently and intensively without being diffused. For example, when a fluorescent lamp is used as the artificial light source 40, the amount of light increases about 1.3 to 1.4 times.
In addition, according to the structure of the ceiling portion 15, heat in the concave portion 43 is easily released, so that the air conditioning load is also reduced.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each cultivation bed 10 includes an air supply unit 16 on the rear side. The air supply unit 16 forms a cylindrical body having an overall length substantially corresponding to the left and right width of the cultivation bed 10, and a duct 50 extending downward from the air supply fan 11 a via an extendable flexible duct 51 and a branch duct 52. It is connected to the.
The air supply part 16 is fixed to the rear end of the ceiling part 15 using a band-shaped mounting bracket 53, and is moved up and down in conjunction with the artificial light source 40 disposed on the ceiling part 15. ing.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a large number of spouts 55a and 55b are provided in two staggered upper and lower stages at a predetermined position of the air supply unit 16, and the cultivation bed 10 is provided from the lower spout 55a. The air in which the temperature, humidity, CO ₂ concentration and the like are adjusted is blown out toward the cultivated plant P planted in
Note that the refrigeration unit 11 (FIG. 2) is appropriately connected to the outside air so that CO ₂ can be taken in from the outside of the box 2. A small cylinder filled with CO ₂ gas may be used by being detachably mounted.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, air is also ejected from the upper ejection port 55 b toward the artificial light source 40. The temperature suitable for the growth of the cultivated plant P is approximately 15 to 20 ° C., although it varies depending on the type of plant. On the other hand, the temperature in the apparatus (particularly in the vicinity of the artificial light source 40) tends to be higher than that due to heat generated by the artificial light source 40 and the like. Therefore, the air ejected from the ejection ports 55a and 55b is often cool air at around 15 ° C. However, by blowing such cold air toward the artificial light source 40, the heat of the artificial light source 40 can be reduced. It becomes possible to remove and to prevent reliably having a bad influence on the growth of the cultivated plant P. The box 2 is appropriately provided with a sensor for detecting an internal temperature or the like.
When nozzles are used as the ejection ports 55a and 55b, it becomes easy to disperse the ejected air, and the number of the ejection ports 55a and 55b can be reduced.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b), a drive unit 18 is provided above each ceiling unit 15 to suspend the ceiling unit 15 so as to be movable up and down. The drive unit 18 is formed in a very thin box shape and is fixed and held substantially horizontally. The drive unit 18 mainly includes a shaft bolt 60 and a pair of left and right arms 61a and 61b.

  The shaft bolt 60 has a screw engraved over its entire length, and is provided extending in the front-rear direction at a substantially central position of the drive unit 18 as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). .

  As shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b), the arms 61a and 61b are formed in symmetrical left and right shapes, and can be opened and closed via the driven portions 62a and 62b, respectively. Screwed portions 64 and 64 are rotatably connected to the ends of the arms 61a and 61b with respect to the arms 61a and 61b, and the arms 61a and 61b are connected via the screwed portions 64 and 64, respectively. The shaft bolt 60 is screwed so as to form a diamond shape in plan view as shown in FIG.

A predetermined operation hole 66 is exposed and connected to the front end of the shaft bolt 60, and the tip of the operation handle 68 (FIG. 6B) is inserted into the operation hole 66, so that the shaft bolt 60 is forward / reverse. It can be easily rotated around.
The screw portions 64 and 64 are threaded in opposite directions. As the shaft bolt 60 rotates, the screw portions 64 and 64 move toward and away from each other along the shaft bolt 60. , Perform a symmetrical movement. Accordingly, the arms 61a and 61b connected to the screwing portions 64 and 64 expand and contract in the left-right direction. That is, while the arms 61a and 61b change the opening angle, the driven parts 62a and 62b move in a symmetrical manner as they approach or leave each other substantially perpendicular to the shaft bolt 60. Since the vicinity of the four corners of the ceiling portion 15 is connected to the driven portions 62a and 62b via the hanging members 70 such as wires, the ceiling portion 15 is linked to the movement of the driven portions 62a and 62b. Can be moved up and down.

  As mentioned above, according to the plant cultivation apparatus 1 as demonstrated, since it was comprised by the compact box 2, installation and movement are easy and it is suitable for using at a general household. In addition, since the cultivation bed 10 has a predetermined configuration in which the cultivation bed 10 is arranged and held in a plurality of upper and lower stages and substantially horizontally, the planting posture of the cultivation plant P is not unreasonable, regardless of the type of plant. Can be cultivated.

  In the plant cultivation apparatus 1, the nutrient solution A supplied to the flow path 33 of the cultivation bed 10 is discharged through the flow path 33 and circulated and reused after passing through the filter 22 and the sterilizer 23. Therefore, a constant fresh nutrient solution A can always be supplied to the cultivated plant P, and there is a low possibility that moss, sterilization, etc. will propagate in the flow path 33 of the cultivation tank 30. Further, in combination with predetermined configurations such as the ceiling portion 15 and the air supply portion 16 having the artificial light source 40, the growth of the cultivated plant P can be promoted and the cultivation can be performed efficiently.

  Furthermore, when the drive unit 18 as described above is used, the arms 61a and 61b extend and retract in the substantially same plane including the shaft bolt 60 to move the ceiling unit 15 up and down. It is possible to make it thin. Moreover, since it is a simple operation with the operation handle 68 and fine adjustment is easy, there is a low risk of damaging the cultivated plant P by mistake.

  Note that the description of the above embodiment is not intended to limit the present invention, and various design changes and the like can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  The present invention provides a plant cultivating apparatus for home use that can be widely applied to various types of plants and that can promote the growth of plants and efficiently cultivate them. Have potential.

It is a perspective view which shows the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is the schematic which shows the whole structure of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on embodiment. (A) The top view which shows the cultivation bed of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on embodiment, (b) The front sectional drawing, (c) It is the same enlarged view. It is a front view which shows the artificial light source and air supply part of the plant cultivation apparatus which concern on embodiment. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the artificial light source and air supply part of the plant cultivation apparatus which concern on embodiment. (A) The top view which shows the drive part of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on embodiment, (b) It is the same front sectional drawing.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plant cultivation apparatus 2 Box body 3 Heat insulation panel 4 Opening and closing door 5 Double layer glass 10 Cultivation bed 11 Refrigeration unit 12 Nutrient unit 15 Ceiling part 16 Air supply part 18 Drive part 25 Liquid supply pipe 26 Drainage pipe 30 Cultivation tank 30a Bottom 31 Planting Panel 33 Channel 40 Artificial Light Source 42 Inclined Wall 43 Recess 50 Duct 60 Axle Bolt 61a, 61b Arm 70 Hanging Member P Cultivated Plant P 'Plant Root A Nutrient Solution

Claims (4)

A plant cultivation apparatus for home use that has a box that can be moved, and the required equipment is stored inside the box,
A cultivation bed in which cultivated plants are planted and arranged and held in a plurality of upper and lower tiers and substantially horizontally,
A ceiling part having an artificial light source provided above each cultivation bed and moved up and down according to the growth of cultivated plants,
An air supply unit that moves up and down in conjunction with the artificial light source, and has a cultivated plant to be planted on the cultivation bed and a spout for ejecting air adjusted in temperature, CO ₂ concentration, and the like toward the artificial light source And comprising
The cultivation bed is
An open box-shaped cultivation tank,
A planted state in which the cultivated plant is planted in such a manner that it is fitted to the upper part of the cultivation tank and forms a nutrient solution channel between the cultivation tank and the bottom of the cultivation tank so that the plant roots are exposed toward the channel. A planting panel, and
The nutrient solution supplied to the cultivation bed is circulated and reused after being discharged through the channel, and the nutrient solution is controlled to intermittently flow into the channel. Plant cultivation equipment for home use. A drive unit for suspending the ceiling part is provided above each ceiling part,
The drive unit is
A shaft bolt provided extending forward and backward,
A pair of left and right arms that are each formed into a freely-rotating, and screwed to the shaft bolt to form a rhombus in plan view,
2. The household according to claim 1, wherein the arm extends and contracts in the left-right direction as the shaft bolt rotates, so that the ceiling portion can be moved up and down via a suspension member connected to the arm. Plant cultivation equipment. The household plant cultivation device according to claim 2, wherein a concave portion having a reflective inclined wall surface is formed in the ceiling portion, and the artificial light source is disposed in the concave portion. The box is covered with a heat insulating panel;
The plant cultivation apparatus for household use according to claim 3, wherein an opening / closing door fitted with a double-glazed glass that allows the cultivation plant to be planted in the cultivation bed inside is provided on most of the front surface of the box.

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