JP2014217349A - Vertical plant cultivation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vertical plant cultivation device in which a larger number of cultivating plants can be irradiated with artificial light by a single artificial light source, power consumption is reduced, and fresh nutrient liquid can be constantly supplied to the cultivating plants.SOLUTION: A vertical plant cultivation device consists of: a pipe for nutrient liquid for supplying nutrient liquid which is extended in vertical directions; a pipe for plants for planting cultivating plants which is extended in a vertical direction; and raising light sources for irradiating cultivating plants with artificial light which are extended in a vertical direction. One or more branch pipes, inside a tip end of each of which a plant mounting part for mounting cultivating plants thereon is installed, are provided for the pipe for plants in obliquely upper directions for each predetermined height width, the pipe for plants is equipped with nutrient liquid supply means for supplying nutrient liquid from the inside of the pipe for nutrient liquid to the inside of the branch pipes, and the raising light sources are installed adjacent to the pipe for plants and ahead in the directions of the branch pipes provided for the pipe for plants.

Description

  The present invention is a plant cultivation device in which a plant placement part (or cultivation pot) for planting plants in a vertical direction is arranged, and a pipe for supplying a nutrient solution and a pipe for placing a plant placement part are separated. Alternatively, the present invention relates to a vertical plant cultivation apparatus whose main feature is integration.

In recent years, land for agricultural workers and field crops has been steadily decreasing, and the food self-sufficiency rate has been decreasing. It has been pointed out that there may be a serious food crisis in the future.
Under such circumstances, development of devices and systems that can cultivate crops more efficiently is expected. In fact, a device that can grow more plants in a small area, a system that can grow food regularly using artificial light sources indoors, regardless of the weather, etc. have been developed. Yes.

  For example, the following was invented from the viewpoint of increasing the area where plants can be cultivated in a small site area by providing plant cultivation shelves (also referred to as cultivation beds, etc.) having a size of about 1 tatami mat in the vertical direction in multiple stages. There is a plant cultivation device according to patent literature.

JP 2000-270698 A

Certainly, it may be possible to increase the area for plant cultivation by providing multiple stages of plant cultivation shelves as seen in the plant cultivation apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document.
However, the following problems are seen in the plant cultivation apparatus based on this point of view.

One of the big problems is that it is necessary to arrange a large number of artificial light sources for breeding, which increases the power consumption.
Even if the plant cultivation shelves are provided in multiple stages, it is necessary to irradiate an artificial light source to all the plants installed on the plant cultivation shelves. And if it is set as the structure which provides a plant cultivation shelf in multiple steps, it has to be set as the structure which provides an artificial light source in the whole lower surface of an upper plant cultivation shelf.
For example, in the plant cultivation apparatus according to the above-mentioned patent document, three fluorescent lamps are installed in the longitudinal direction on the lower surface of the upper plant cultivation shelf. As the number of plant cultivation shelves increases, the artificial light source for irradiating a predetermined cultivation shelf must be increased, and it is necessary to provide artificial light sources in proportion to the amount of plants to be cultivated.

In recent years, apart from the food crisis, power shortage has become a serious problem. Therefore, in addition to the development of devices and systems that can cultivate plants efficiently, there is a need for devices and systems that can grow more plants while reducing power consumption.
In view of such circumstances, the conventional method of providing plant cultivation shelves in multiple stages has a limit in terms of suppressing power consumption.

Next, there is a problem that it is difficult to send fresh nutrient solution to plants. For example, in the above-mentioned patent document, a pipe is passed between the upper and lower plant cultivation shelves, and after feeding the nutrient solution to the uppermost stage, the nutrient solution flows to the lower stage through the pipe between the plant cultivation shelves. .
However, in artificial plant cultivation, it is necessary to supply fresh nutrient solution to all cultivated plants as much as possible.

It is preferable that the fresh nutrient solution contains an appropriate amount of essential elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and iron, and oxygen, and does not contain impurities and bacteria, and can be supplied equally to all cultivated plants.
However, in a plant cultivation device that uses plant cultivation shelves in multiple stages, the nutrient solution supplied to the upper cultivation shelf is flowed to the lower stage in order, so that the plants planted on the upper cultivation shelf are freshly fed. The liquid can be supplied, but as it goes to the bottom, the time elapses, the nutrients become thinner, and impurities and germs increase.
Therefore, it is difficult to supply a fresh nutrient solution to each of the cultivated plants in all stages by a technique using conventional plant cultivation shelves in multiple stages.

  Moreover, in a horizontal multistage type plant cultivation apparatus, a cultivation shelf having a certain width and depth (for example, a depth of 2 to 3 m, a width of 4 to 5 m, and a height of each stage of 0.3 to 0.5 m) In order to plant plants, planting, cleaning, and harvesting of plants located in the vicinity of the center must be carried out with a large reach from the outside. There was a problem of being bad.

  The vertical plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention has been completed in earnest to solve the above problems in view of the problems that cannot be avoided with such conventional apparatuses.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention includes a nutrient solution pipe extending in the longitudinal direction for supplying nutrient solution, and a plant pipe extending in the longitudinal direction for planting cultivated plants. And a growing light source extending in the vertical direction for irradiating artificial light to the cultivated plant, and the plant pipe has at least one plant mounting portion on which the cultivated plant is mounted inside the tip. Branch pipes are provided at predetermined height widths in an obliquely upward direction, and are provided with nutrient solution supply means for supplying nutrient solution from inside the nutrient solution pipe to the inside of the branch pipe. The gist is that a growth light source is installed adjacent to the pipe and in the direction of the branch pipe provided in the plant pipe.

  In the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention, the plant pipe and the nutrient solution pipe are further provided apart from each other in the above-described configuration, and the nutrient solution supply means is a nutrient solution supply tube. The end is connected to the nutrient solution pipe, the other end is connected to the vicinity of the branch pipe tip of the plant pipe, and the nutrient solution in the nutrient solution pipe is fed into the branch pipe via the nutrient solution supply pipe. The gist is to make it flow.

  Further, the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention is further provided with the plant pipe and the nutrient solution pipe in contact with each other in the above configuration, and the plant pipe and the nutrient solution pipe are provided as nutrient solution supply means. The gist of the present invention is that an injection hole for ejecting the nutrient solution from the nutrient solution pipe into the branch pipe is provided at a height position corresponding to the height position of the branch pipe in the boundary wall separating the two.

  In addition, the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention is further provided with a nutrient solution pipe in the above-described configuration, and four plant pipes, one on each of the front, rear, left and right, are provided on each plant pipe. The gist of the direction of the branch pipe provided is that the angle of the branch pipe—the nutrient solution pipe—the branch pipe adjacent to the branch pipe is 90 degrees in plan view.

  In the plant cultivation device according to the present invention, the plant placement unit further includes a plant placement table having a plant placement surface, a plant protection cylinder placed on the plant placement table, and a plant placement table. And an angle adjustment attachment having an attachment / detachment portion for attaching / detaching to / from the tip of the branch pipe. The plant mounting table is held on the stop portion of the angle adjustment attachment, and the attachment / detachment portion is attached to the tip of the branch pipe. By attaching to the inside, this makes it possible to change the orientation of the plant mounting table, and it is possible to pull out and push the plant mounting table from the branch pipe.

  Moreover, the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention further includes a blocking plate for blocking the nutrient solution flowing from the inside of the branch pipe to the inside of the plant pipe inside the branch portion between the plant pipe and the branch pipe in the above configuration. Installed below the bifurcation part, above it is provided with an outflow hole for the nutrient solution to flow out from the inside of the branch pipe to the inside of the plant pipe, and the nutrient solution is blocked by a dam plate inside the branch pipe. The gist is that the overflowing nutrient solution flows out from the outflow hole to the plant pipe.

  Moreover, the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention further includes four or more plant pipes around the growth light source such that the branch pipe is in the direction of the growth light source in the above configuration, and the number of the growth light sources is four or more. The gist of the invention is that artificial light can be irradiated to the plant placement portion of the branch pipe provided in the plant pipe.

  Further, the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention further includes a plant cultivation apparatus mounted on a movable table with a caster in the above configuration, the plant cultivation apparatus is movable, and the reflector is hermetically surrounded by a reflector. The gist is to move between the chamber and a transparent plate sealed chamber surrounded by a transparent plate.

  According to the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention, a plant pipe having a plurality of branch pipes for planting plants, a nutrient solution pipe for supplying nutrient solution, and a growth light source for irradiating artificial light to the plant planted in the branch pipe By adopting a configuration in which both are elongated in the vertical direction, many plants can be planted in branch pipes that are multi-staged in the vertical direction, and many plants can be cultivated with a small floor area.

By configuring the nutrient solution pipe for transporting the nutrient solution and the plant pipe for planting the plant separately, the nutrient solution is raised in the nutrient solution pipe, and the raised nutrient solution is predetermined. The feeding solution is allowed to flow into the branch pipe, the nutrient solution flowing into the branch pipe is flown out into the plant pipe and dropped, and the nutrient solution dropped in the plant pipe is appropriately filtered, sterilized, etc. It was made possible to circulate and reuse the nutrient solution by sending it again to the nutrient solution pipe.
In addition, since the nutrient solution flowing into the branch pipe directly hits the root part of the cultivated plant planted inside the branch pipe, it is possible to always supply fresh nutrient solution to the cultivated plant at each stage. It has become possible.

By arranging a plurality of plant pipes around one growing light source extending in the longitudinal direction and setting the branch pipes installed in each plant pipe so as to face the direction of the growing light source, All cultivated plants planted in branch pipes can be irradiated with artificial light.
Thereby, artificial light can be irradiated to a cultivated plant more efficiently, and the power consumption concerning artificial light can be reduced.
For example, when four plant pipes are arranged in the front, rear, left, and right with a single growth light source as the center, artificial light is irradiated to only four rows of cultivated plants with only one growth light source. Can do. In this case, compared with the conventional apparatus which can irradiate artificial light only to one row of cultivated plants with respect to one growing light source, power consumption is about one-fourth.

(A) It is a front view of the plant cultivation apparatus concerning Example 1. FIG. (B) It is a top view of the plant cultivation apparatus concerning Example 1. FIG. 1 is a reference cross-sectional view of a plant cultivation apparatus according to Example 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the flow of the nutrient solution of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on Example 1. FIG. It is reference sectional drawing which shows the structure of the branch pipe for cultivation of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on Example 1. FIG. It is a reference figure which shows the structure of the plant mounting part of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on Example 1. FIG. It is a front view of the plant cultivation apparatus concerning Example 2. (A) It is side surface sectional drawing of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on Example 2. FIG. (B) (a) It is a plane sectional view of the plant cultivation device concerning Example 2. It is side surface sectional drawing of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on Example 3. FIG. (A) It is a top view which shows the positional relationship of the pipe for plants and nutrient solution, and the growth light source in the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on Examples 1-3. (B) It is a front view which shows the positional relationship of the pipe for plant and nutrient solution, and the growth light source in the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on Examples 1-3. It is the reference top view which has arrange | positioned the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on Example 3 indoors.

  The vertical plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention mainly includes a nutrient solution supply pipe installed in the vertical direction from the floor to the ceiling, and a plant cultivation pipe similarly installed in the vertical direction from the floor to the ceiling. And an artificial light source installed in the vertical direction from the floor to the ceiling.

The material for the nutrient solution supply pipe and the plant cultivation pipe may be any material that is lightweight and strong. Examples thereof include resin materials such as general-purpose plastics and engineering plastics, and metal materials such as stainless steel and aluminum.
Any artificial light source can be used as long as it can be installed in the vertical direction and can irradiate the surrounding area. For example, a method in which straight tube fluorescent lamps or LED lamps are connected in the height direction can be considered.

The nutrient solution supply pipe, the plant cultivation pipe, and the artificial light source are installed adjacent to each other on the floor. Each height width is preferably the same. The height width is arbitrary and may be appropriately adjusted according to the indoor space in which the vertical plant cultivation apparatus is installed. When the height width is from the floor to the bottom of the ceiling, it is the most efficient cultivation device.
Further, it is preferable that the nutrient solution supply pipe and the plant cultivation pipe can be divided into predetermined height widths, and a single pipe can be configured by combining the components. For example, a pipe part of about 50 cm to 100 cm may be used, and the pipe parts may be connected to form a desired height width to form a single pipe. By doing in this way, even when installing in indoor spaces of different heights, the height width of the pipe can be easily adjusted by changing the number of pipe components connected to the height of the indoor space.

The plant cultivation pipe is configured so that a plant placement portion for planting a cultivation plant can be attached and detached for each predetermined height width. A plant placement part is formed in a branch pipe via a branch pipe having a plant placement part attaching / detaching mechanism from a plant cultivation pipe. The pipe is hollow, and the supplied nutrient solution flows downward through the hollow.
The angle at which the branch pipe or the plant mounting table is provided or at which height and width are arbitrary. You may change suitably according to the plant to grow.
For example, when lettuce is cultivated, it is preferable that the height width can be arranged inside and outside 20 cm so that the grown lettuce does not overlap. In addition, the plant placement unit may be installed only in one direction, or may be installed in a plurality of directions. For example, with respect to one plant cultivation pipe, the plant placement part can be arranged in the direction of 0 degree, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees, assuming that the predetermined horizontal direction is 0 degrees, that is, in a predetermined horizontal direction. Can be considered.

The nutrient solution supply pipe is a pipe for supplying a nutrient solution to each plant placement portion installed in the plant cultivation pipe. A bypass pipe for supplying the nutrient solution from the main body of the nutrient solution supply pipe to the plant placement portion installed in the plant cultivation pipe is attached.
The nutrient solution is conveyed upward in the nutrient solution supply pipe main pipe, and is supplied to each plant placement unit via the bypass pipe. Existing means can be used for the means for carrying the nutrient solution upward. For example, a method is conceivable in which a centrifugal pump, a positive displacement rotary pump, or the like is connected to the lower end of the nutrient solution supply pipe, and the nutrient solution is conveyed upward by their transfer force.

The nutrient solution supply pipe, the plant cultivation pipe and the artificial light source are installed adjacent to each other.
Arrangement is arbitrary, and it is preferable that artificial light can be irradiated to the plants in many plant cultivation pots (or plant placement portions) with as few artificial light sources as possible.
For example, it is conceivable to place a plant placement portion from each plant cultivation pipe toward the artificial light source after placing a total of four plant cultivation pipes on the front, back, left and right of the artificial light source.
Since a cultivated plant is planted in each plant placement part, artificial light can be irradiated to the cultivated plant of four directions with one artificial light source by arranging in this way. Since the conventional horizontal multi-stage plant cultivation apparatus can irradiate only one cultivated plant with one artificial light source, the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention achieves four times the irradiation efficiency by simple calculation. Is possible.

  In addition to the artificial light source, plant cultivation pipes are installed in the diagonal direction (right diagonally forward, left diagonally forward, right diagonally backward, and diagonally left backward) in addition to the front, back, left and right. You may arrange | position a plant mounting part. In this case, artificial light can be irradiated to the cultivated plant in eight directions by one artificial light source, and the irradiation efficiency is further improved.

  What is necessary is just to select suitably the arrangement | positioning relationship between said artificial light source and the pipe for plant cultivation according to an indoor area, the shape of a floor surface, etc.

  A preferred first embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference mainly to FIGS. 1 to 5 and FIG. Fig.1 (a) is a front view of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on Example 1, (b) is the top view, FIG. 2 is a reference sectional drawing of a plant cultivation apparatus, FIG. 3 is a plant cultivation apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows the flow of nutrient solution, FIG. 4 is sectional drawing which shows the branch pipe for cultivation, FIG. 5 is a reference drawing which shows the structure of a plant mounting part. Fig.9 (a) is a top view which shows the positional relationship of the pipe for plants and nutrient solution, and the growth light source, (b) is the front view.

  The plant cultivation apparatus (1) according to this embodiment mainly includes a plant pipe (2), a nutrient solution pipe (3), and a growth light source (6).

As shown in FIG. 1, the plant pipe (2) is a pipe pipe that extends in the vertical direction and has a hollow inside. Moreover, the branch pipe for cultivation (4) is connected toward the diagonally upward direction for every predetermined space | interval. The branch pipe for cultivation is a pipe pipe for holding a plant to be cultivated.
In this embodiment, a cylindrical pipe is used for both the plant pipe and the cultivation branch pipe, and the material is engineering plastic. However, the shape and material of the pipe are not limited to this.

The height of the pipe for plant (2), the number of branch pipes for cultivation (4), and the interval for arranging the branch pipes for cultivation are arbitrary, but in this embodiment, the height of the pipe for plants is about 200 cm. In addition, nine branch pipes for cultivation are provided for each plant pipe at intervals of about 20 cm in the vertical direction.
More specifically, a cylindrical non-branching pipe (7) having no branching portion and a branching pipe (8) formed integrally with a pipe extending in the longitudinal direction and branched obliquely upward. Are alternately connected in the vertical direction to form one plant pipe (2). The non-branching pipe and the branching pipe are connected via a connection part (9). If the combination of the non-branching pipe and the branching pipe is one stage, it can be said that the plant pipe according to the present embodiment has a total of nine stages.
In addition, the number of stages of the branch pipe is not limited to nine, and is arbitrary, and may be appropriately changed according to the height of the indoor space in which the plant cultivation apparatus is installed.

The nutrient solution pipe (3) is a pipe tube extending in the longitudinal direction and installed adjacent to the plant pipe (2). The pipe pipe which concerns on a present Example uses the cylindrical thing.
The nutrient solution pipe serves to supply the nutrient solution into the cavity of the plant pipe.
The height of the nutrient solution pipe is preferably at least as high as that of the plant pipe or more.
A magnet pump (not shown) is connected to the lower end of the nutrient solution pipe, and the nutrient solution is lifted up to the upper end of the pipe by the pressure of the magnet pump.

As shown in FIG. 2, the nutrient solution supply pipe (5) is passed from the nutrient solution pipe (3) to the vicinity of the tip (10) of each cultivation branch pipe (4). That is, one end of the nutrient solution supply pipe is connected to the nutrient solution pipe, and the other end is connected to the tip of the cultivation branch pipe.
The nutrient solution supply pipe bears inflow means for allowing the nutrient solution in the nutrient solution pipe to flow into the branch pipe for cultivation, and in this embodiment, a vinyl tube is used. In addition, not only a vinyl tube but what kind of thing may be sufficient if it is a hollow member provided with flexibility and intensity | strength.
If the nutrient solution supply pipe (5) is too thick, a large amount of nutrient solution flows into the branch pipe for cultivation, and if it is too thin, the amount of nutrient solution inflow decreases. In this embodiment, in consideration of this, the thickness of the nutrient solution supply pipe is about 5 mm.

FIG. 3 illustrates the flow of nutrient solution in the plant cultivation apparatus (1) according to the present embodiment.
As described above, a magnet pump is connected to the lower end of the nutrient solution pipe (3), and the nutrient solution rises to the upper end by the pressure of the magnet pump. A thin nutrient solution supply pipe (5) is connected to the nutrient solution pipe at predetermined intervals, and the other end of the nutrient solution supply pipe is connected to the vicinity of the cultivation branch pipe tip (10). Therefore, the nutrient solution flows into the nutrient solution supply pipe, and flows into the cultivation branch pipe cavity (12) through the nutrient solution supply pipe.
As shown in FIG. 3, the partition part (13) is provided in the branch part of the plant pipe (2) in the vertical direction and the branch pipe for cultivation (4). There is an outflow hole (11) that is not blocked and that leads from the branch pipe cavity (12) for cultivation to the pipe cavity (14) for plants.
The nutrient solution that has flowed into the cultivation branch pipe cavity (12) flows out to the plant pipe cavity (14) through the outflow hole (11). The nutrient solution that has flowed into the plant pipe cavity flows to the lower end of the plant pipe by free fall caused by attractive force. A tank is connected to the lower end of the plant pipe, and the nutrient solution is finally stored in the tank.
Although not shown, the nutrient solution collected in the tank is appropriately filtered and sterilized, and then flowed to the nutrient solution pipe. The nutrient solution can be circulated for use. is there.

  Then, the structure of the plant mounting part (15) which actually hold | maintains a plant is demonstrated using FIG.4 and FIG.5.

  The plant placement section (15) mainly includes a plant placement table (16), a plant protection cylinder (17), and an angle adjustment attachment (18).

  The plant mounting table (16) is a member that lays and holds a plant that is actually cultivated, and in the present embodiment, a resin plate curved upward is used. Although the length of the plant mounting table is arbitrary, in this embodiment, the length of the branch pipe for cultivation (4) is approximately the same as the length in the cavity, about 2 to 5 cm from the tip of the branch pipe (10) to the outside. It is supposed to jump out. This facilitates plant installation and collection. It also prevents the stems and leaves of the planted plants from breaking.

A plant protection cylinder (17) is mounted on and integrated with the plant mounting table from approximately the center of the plant mounting table (16) to one end in the branch pipe cavity. In this embodiment, the plant protection cylinder is a cylindrical member having a curved side surface along the curved surface of the plant mounting table. A cylindrical part for planting a plant is formed by placing the side of the plant protection cylinder on the top of the plant mounting table.
The upper part of the plant protection cylinder is provided with a slit for allowing the nutrient solution flowing out from the nutrient solution supply pipe to flow into the cylinder.

The angle adjustment attachment (18) is a member that can be adjusted by arbitrarily changing the orientation of the plant mounting table (16). An angle adjustment attachment mainly consists of a pressing part (21) and an attachment / detachment part (22). When the plant mounting table and the plant protection cylinder (17) are joined together, a cylindrical portion is formed. The holding portion is a portion that holds the outside of the cylindrical portion from the left and right.
As shown in FIG. 5, the detachable portion (22) has a shape protruding downward in the lower portion of the angle adjustment attachment in this embodiment. The attachment / detachment portion may have any configuration as long as the angle adjustment attachment can be attached / detached near the tip of the branch pipe for cultivation (10), but in this embodiment, the tip of the branch pipe is slightly expanded in the vicinity of the tip of the branch pipe for cultivation. A step (19) is formed in the vicinity, and the detachable portion is hooked on the step portion so that it can be attached and detached.

The plant mounting table (16) is held by the angle adjustment attachment by the holding portion (21) of the angle adjustment attachment (18). Further, since the pressing portion of the angle adjustment attachment generates a moderate pressing force in the inner direction, the plant mounting table and the plant protection cylinder are locked so as not to be easily removed. However, the pressing force is not too strong, and the orientation of the plant mounting table and the plant protection cylinder can be arbitrarily adjusted. In addition, the plant mounting table and the plant protection cylinder can be pulled out from the branch pipe or pushed into the branch pipe.
In accordance with the growth of the plant, for example, when the plant grows, the stem and leaf base of the plant can be laid on the stand by pulling out the plant mounting table to prevent the stem and leaf base from breaking. Can do.

FIG. 4 is a reference diagram showing a state where the plant (S) is actually planted on the plant mounting table (16). The planting method is arbitrary, but in this embodiment, seeds are first planted in a sponge medium having a length and width of about 25 mm and a height of about 30 mm. And when it grows to the extent that Futaba comes out, sponge (24) is inserted inside a plant protection cylinder (17). This completes the planting operation into the branch pipe.
As the plant grows, the roots grow inside the branch pipe and the leaves grow outside the branch pipe.
Depending on the type, size, and growth of the plant, the orientation of the plant mounting table may be appropriately changed or pulled out from the branch pipe.

Here, the branch angle of the branch pipe for cultivation (4) with respect to the plant pipe (2) will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the branch pipe for cultivation branches obliquely upward from the plant pipe installed in the vertical direction. At this time, when attention is paid to the acute angle (α) between the plant pipe and the cultivation branch pipe as viewed from the side as shown in FIG. 4, the acute angle (α) is preferably about 20 degrees to about 60 degrees, and more preferably. Is about 45 degrees. In this example. The angle of the branch pipe is 45 degrees.
This is because, when the branching angle of the branch pipe is within this range, when the planted plant grows and the leaves jump out of the branch pipe, artificial light from the light source is applied upward and the downward direction It is because it can receive without lack.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, the nutrient solution supply pipe (5) is connected to the upper surface (25) in the vicinity of the tip of the cultivation branch pipe (4). When the plant (S) is planted, the branch pipe side end (26) of the nutrient solution supply pipe comes to a position close to the root (R) of the plant.
Therefore, the nutrient solution that has flowed through the nutrient solution supply pipe flows out to the root portion of the plant through the slit of the plant protection cylinder (17) and is directly applied to the root portion. Thus, the plant is fresh, that is, contains a large amount of nutrients and air, and a sterile nutrient solution is constantly applied to the roots of the plant, so that a fresh nutrient solution can be constantly supplied to the plant.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), four plant pipes (2) are arranged around a single nutrient solution pipe (3) in the vicinity thereof. doing. Moreover, the direction of the branch pipe (4) for cultivation is installed outward so that the cross direction, that is, the angle between the branch pipe and the branch pipe is a right angle in a plan view.
This one nutrient solution pipe and four plant pipes constitute one set of plant cultivation pipe set (29).
Moreover, the turntable (53) is installed at the lower end of one set of plant cultivation pipe sets, and the pipe set is made rotatable by placing the plant cultivation pipe set on the turntable.

  Next, mainly with reference to FIG. 9, the growth light source (6) of the plant growing apparatus (1) according to the present embodiment, the plant pipe (2) and the nutrient solution pipe (3) constituting the apparatus. The positional relationship of the growth light source (6) will be described. In FIG. 9, the plant pipe and the nutrient solution pipe are omitted for the purpose of clarifying the positional relationship between the pipe and the light source.

As shown in FIG. 9 (b), in this embodiment, a rod-shaped fluorescent lamp (27) is connected in the vertical direction to the growing light source (6) for artificial light irradiation to the plant. The rod-like fluorescent lamps are connected in the vertical direction via the connecting portion (28).
It is preferable to extend the growth light source beyond the height of the plant pipe so that artificial light can be irradiated to the plant planted on the uppermost stage of the plant pipe (2) without excess or deficiency.

The direction of the branch pipe (4) for cultivation installed in the plant pipe (2) is set so as to be directed to the growth light source (6).
In the plant cultivation apparatus (1) according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9 (a), four sets of plant cultivation pipe sets (29) are arranged around one growing light source. The plant cultivation pipe set is arranged so that the angle between the center of the plant pipe set (30), the growth light source (6), and the center of the adjacent plant pipe set (30 ′) is 90 degrees in plan view. That is, the plant cultivation pipe set is arranged diagonally with the growth light source as the center.

Further, the plant pipe set (29) is composed of four plant pipes, and among them, each stage cultivation branch pipe (4) provided in one plant pipe set faces the direction of the growth light source (6). Are arranged as follows. That is, in each plant pipe set, one row of the cultivation branch pipes arranged in the cross direction is arranged to face the direction of the growth light source.
By adopting such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 9 (a), artificial light is irradiated to the plants that are planted in four plant pipes, each of which is provided with a single growth light source. It becomes possible to do.

  In the conventional horizontal multi-stage cultivation apparatus, since one light source is required for one row of plants, the power consumption is extremely large. According to the plant cultivation apparatus in the present embodiment, it is possible to irradiate artificial light evenly with respect to four rows of plants evenly with a single growing light source. Can be reduced to about a quarter.

  A preferred second embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference mainly to FIGS. 6 and 7A and 7B. 6: is a front view of the plant cultivation apparatus which concerns on Example 2, FIG. 7 (a) is the side sectional drawing, FIG.7 (b) is the plane sectional drawing.

  The plant cultivation apparatus (31) according to the present embodiment is mainly composed of a plant pipe (32), a nutrient solution pipe (33), and a growth light source (36), and the difference in configuration between the plant pipe and the nutrient solution pipe. Other than the above, the rest is the same as the plant cultivation apparatus according to the first embodiment.

In the plant cultivation apparatus (1) according to Example 1, the plant pipe (2) and the nutrient solution pipe (3) were separated from each other.
On the other hand, in the plant cultivation apparatus (31) according to this example, the plant pipe (32) and the nutrient solution pipe (33) are not completely separated from each other, and are adjacent to each other. It is a body-shaped pipe device.

  As shown in FIG. 7 (a), a nutrient solution pipe (33) is provided extending in the longitudinal direction at the center, and is integrally adjacent to the front, rear, left and right of the nutrient solution pipe. The plant pipe (32) is provided extending in the longitudinal direction.

Similar to the first embodiment, the plant pipe (32) is provided with a cultivation branch pipe (34) for planting in an obliquely upward direction at intervals of a predetermined height.
In the plant cultivation apparatus in the present embodiment, the boundary wall (37) that partitions the nutrient solution pipe (33) and the plant pipe (32) at a height approximately equal to the height at which each branch pipe for cultivation is provided. An injection hole (35) is provided.
The shape of the injection hole is arbitrary, but in this embodiment, it is a circular hole having a diameter of about 2 mm.

  In the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present invention, a magnet pump is attached to the lower end of the nutrient solution pipe, and the nutrient solution rises from the lower end toward the upper end by the pressure. Since the pressure is applied from below, the nutrient solution rises and the adjacent plant pipe is mainly filled with air, so if there is a hole in the boundary wall between the nutrient solution pipe and the plant pipe, The nutrient solution flows from the nutrient solution pipe to the plant pipe through the hole.

At this time, by reducing the size of the hole (injection hole (35)), the nutrient solution is vigorously ejected to the plant pipe (32) by the pressure from below. The spray destination is the branch portion (38) of the branch pipe (34) for cultivation. Since the plant (S) is planted on the branch pipe for cultivation through the plant mounting table (16), the root (R) of the plant is located at the branch portion (38) of the branch pipe for cultivation. .
Therefore, according to the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present embodiment, the nutrient solution flowing out from the injection hole (35) of the nutrient solution pipe (33) toward the branch portion (38) of the plant pipe is the root of the planted plant. (R) will be hit directly.
Thereafter, the nutrient solution drops downward in the cavity of the plant pipe by attractive force.

In the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present embodiment, the plant pipe and the nutrient solution pipe are not separated from each other, and are integrated, so that the installation work for each pipe can be saved and assembled. If the product is installed indoors, the installation is completed and the installation work becomes easy.
In addition, since no tube is used as a nutrient solution supply means for supplying nutrient solution from a nutrient solution pipe to a plant pipe, the inspection and maintenance work of the tube is eliminated, and the apparatus can be maintained and moved more stably. Become.

  A preferred third embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference mainly to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the plant cultivation apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a reference plan view in which the plant cultivation apparatus is arranged in a room (or inside a box) having a predetermined area.

  The plant cultivation apparatus (41) according to the present embodiment is a modification related to the structure of the branch pipe (4) for cultivation of the plant pipe (2) in the plant cultivation apparatus (1, 31) according to the first or second embodiment. It is an example. Others are the same as those of the plant cultivation apparatus according to Example 1 or Example 2.

  In the plant cultivation apparatus (41) according to the present embodiment, as in the apparatus according to the first embodiment, the cultivation branch pipe (43) for planting the plant pipe is obliquely upward in the longitudinally extending plant pipe (42). Are branched at predetermined intervals.

However, in this embodiment, in the branch portion (44) between the plant pipe and the cultivation branch pipe, an overflow weir plate (45) is provided below the branch portion cavity as shown in FIG.
This barrier plate is provided on the side surface of the plant pipe (42) by extending in the vertical direction as it is from below the branch portion (44). However, the branch portion is not completely blocked, and a hole is provided between the plant pipe and the branch pipe on the upper side of the branch portion, which is used as a nutrient solution outflow hole (46).

  In this embodiment, the nutrient solution that has flowed into the cultivation branch pipe (43) from the nutrient solution supply pipe (47) does not immediately flow down to the cultivation pipe, and is blocked by the weir plate (45). The outflow of the nutrient solution is blocked and the nutrient solution is accumulated in the branch portion (44). When the accumulated nutrient solution exceeds the height of the weir plate, the excess nutrient solution flows out from the outflow hole (46) to the plant pipe (overflow).

The barrier plate (45) plays a role of blocking the nutrient solution and preventing the root (R) of the plant from extending into the plant pipe. The extended plant roots come into contact with the weir plate and gather together at the branching portion (44). With the configuration of the present embodiment, the roots of the plant are immersed in the nutrient solution that has been dammed up by the damming plate and can be constantly supplied to the roots of the plant.
Since the nutrient solution is poured and stored in the root portion, the plant can be cultivated with a smaller amount of the nutrient solution.

  In addition, you may provide a weir board in the branch pipe inner side direction edge part of a plant protection cylinder (17).

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 10, the plant cultivation apparatus (41) which concerns on a present Example is a plant cultivation pipe set (51) which consists of a pipe for plants and a pipe for nutrient solution in a predetermined room (or in a box). A total of nine are arranged in three rows in a plan view.
And the cultivation light source is arrange | positioned ahead of the direction of the branch pipe (4) for cultivation provided in each pipe for plants, and the number of cultivation light sources will be a total of 16 pieces (arrangement every four rows and columns).
According to this arrangement, each of the central growing light sources (52) can irradiate artificial light to plants planted in four plant pipes. Moreover, the growing light source (52 ') on the inner side of the wall can irradiate artificial light to the plants planted in the two plant pipes, and each of the corner growing light sources (52 ") is one. The artificial light can be irradiated to the plant planted in the plant pipe for the minute.
That is, it is possible to irradiate artificial light to all the plants in the 36 rows in the vertical direction by 16 growing light sources. Compared with the conventional device in which one light source irradiates a row of plants, it is possible to reduce power consumption by about 60%, and it is possible to construct a very ecological system. Become.

A reflective plate (50) is attached to the side surface of the room, and the light emitted from the light source near the wall surface is reflected inward by the reflective plate and irradiated to the plant. By this mechanism, the artificial light of the light source installed in the vicinity of the wall surface can be used efficiently.
In addition, each plant can receive irradiation of artificial light not only from the light source in front of each plant but from the light source located in the horizontal direction of each plant.

  Furthermore, in the plant cultivation apparatus in a present Example, the hybrid type | system | group system which can utilize not only artificial light source but sunlight is constructed.

  In this hybrid type system using artificial light and sunlight, a reflecting plate sealed chamber (54) whose periphery is covered with a reflecting plate, and a glass surface sealed chamber (55) adjacent to this sealed chamber and covered with glass. ). In the glass surface sealed chamber, the side surface and the upper surface are glass surfaces, so that sunlight from the outside can be directly taken into the interior.

  And the plant cultivation pipe set (51) which consists of a combination of the pipe for plant and the pipe for nutrient solution is mounted in the moving stand (56) with a caster, The plant cultivation pipe set is made movable. In this embodiment, three sets of plant cultivation pipe sets are placed on one moving table, and can be moved in units of three sets.

  In this hybrid system, as shown in FIG. 10, plant cultivation is performed by moving the plant cultivation pipe set between the reflecting plate sealed chamber and the glass surface sealed chamber. Although the time interval to move is arbitrary, for example, the time zone in which sunlight can not be received is moved to the reflector sealed chamber and grown by artificial light, the time zone in which sunlight can be received is moved to the glass surface sealed chamber, A method of cultivating with sunlight is conceivable.

  According to this hybrid system using artificial light and sunlight, sunlight can also be used as a light source, the time for using artificial light can be reduced, power consumption can be reduced, and cultivation efficiency is good. Plant cultivation methods can be realized.

  Note that the descriptions of the above embodiments do not limit the present invention, and various design changes and the like can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, in each of the above embodiments, in the plant pipe, the height at which the branch pipe for cultivation is installed is the same for all pipes, but the height at which the branch pipe for cultivation is installed is different for each pipe. Also good.
For example, an aspect may be considered in which a branch pipe for cultivation is provided in an odd-numbered stage in a certain plant pipe, and a branch pipe for cultivation is provided in an even-numbered stage in an adjacent plant pipe.
Thus, by making the height position of the branch pipe for cultivation different between the pipes, the planting positions of the plants can be set alternately, and the wind flowing in the room can easily hit each plant.

Moreover, although the said Example demonstrated about the structure which arrange | positioned a total of four plant pipes to the front and back, right and left with respect to one growth light source, the number of the plant pipes arrange | positioned around a growth light source is limited to this. Is not to be done.
For example, in addition to the front, rear, left, and right of one growth light source, plant pipes are also arranged diagonally right front, diagonally left front, diagonally lower right, and diagonally lower left (a total of eight pipes are arranged), and branches installed in each plant pipe By directing the pipes in the direction of the cultivating light source, artificial light can be irradiated to a total of eight rows of cultivated plants with one cultivating light source.
Compared with a device in which one conventional artificial light source irradiates artificial light to a row of cultivated plants, the power consumption can be reduced to about one-eighth.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plant cultivation apparatus 2 Plant pipe 3 Nutrient solution pipe 4 Cultivation branch pipe 5 Nutrient solution supply pipe 6 Growth light source 7 Non-branch pipe 8 Branch pipe 9 Connection part 10 Cultivation branch pipe tip 11 Outflow hole 12 Cultivation branch pipe Cavity 13 Partition part 14 Plant pipe cavity 15 Plant placement part 16 Plant placement stage 17 Plant protection cylinder 18 Angle adjustment attachment 19 Step 20 Branch pipe tip lower end 21 Holding part 22 Detachment part 23 Outer end part 24 Sponge 25 On branch pipe Side 26 Nutrient solution supply pipe branch pipe side end portion 27 Fluorescent lamp 28 Light source connection portion 29 Plant cultivation pipe set 30, 30 'Plant cultivation pipe set center 31 Plant cultivation device 32 Plant pipe 33 Nutrient solution pipe 34 Culture branch pipe 35 Injection hole 36 Growing light source 37 Boundary wall 38 Branch portion 41 Plant cultivation device 42 Plant pipe 43 Branch for cultivation Type 44 Branching portion 45 Dam plate 46 Outflow hole 47 Nutrient solution supply pipe 50 Reflecting plate 51 Plant cultivation pipe set 52, 52 ', 52''Growing light source 53 Turntable 54 Reflecting plate sealed chamber 55 Glass surface sealed chamber 56 Moving table S Plant R Plant root

Claims (8)

A nutrient solution pipe extending in the longitudinal direction for supplying nutrient solution;
A longitudinally extending plant pipe for planting cultivated plants;
It consists of a growing light source extending in the longitudinal direction for irradiating artificial light to the cultivated plant,
The plant pipe is provided with one or more branch pipes, each having a plant placement portion for placing a cultivated plant, arranged at a predetermined height in a diagonally upward direction.
It is equipped with nutrient solution supply means for supplying nutrient solution from inside the nutrient solution pipe to the inside of the branch pipe,
A plant cultivating apparatus, wherein a growth light source is installed adjacent to a plant pipe in a direction of a branch pipe provided in the plant pipe.   The plant pipe and the nutrient solution pipe are set apart from each other, the nutrient solution supply means is a nutrient solution supply pipe, one end of the nutrient solution supply pipe is connected to the nutrient solution pipe, and the other end is The plant cultivation according to claim 1, wherein the plant cultivation is connected to the vicinity of the branch pipe tip of the plant pipe and causes the nutrient solution in the nutrient solution pipe to flow into the branch pipe through the nutrient solution supply pipe. apparatus.   The plant pipe and nutrient solution pipe are installed in contact with each other, and as a nutrient solution supply means, it corresponds to the height of the branch pipe at the boundary wall separating the plant pipe and nutrient solution pipe The plant cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an injection hole for ejecting the nutrient solution from the nutrient solution pipe into the branch pipe is provided at the height position.   Centered on nutrient solution pipes, four plant pipes are installed on the front, rear, left and right, respectively. The direction of the branch pipes provided on each plant pipe is the branch pipe-nutrition in plan view. The plant cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the liquid pipe is provided so that an angle of a branch pipe adjacent to the branch pipe is 90 degrees. The plant mounting unit is attached to and detached from the plant mounting table having a plant mounting surface, a plant protection cylinder mounted on the plant mounting table, a holding unit for pressing the plant mounting table, and the inside of the branch pipe tip. And an angle adjustment attachment that has a detachable part,
By attaching the plant mounting table to the holding part of the angle adjustment attachment and attaching the detachable part inside the tip of the branch pipe, the orientation of the plant mounting table can be changed, and the plant mounting table can be pulled out from the branch pipe. The plant cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a closet is also possible. Inside the branch part between the plant pipe and the branch pipe, a dam plate for blocking the nutrient solution flowing from the inside of the branch pipe to the inside of the plant pipe is installed below the branch part. An outflow hole is provided to allow the nutrient solution to flow into the plant pipe.
The nutrient solution is retained by the damming plate inside the branch pipe and accumulated, and the overflowed nutrient solution flows out from the outflow hole to the plant pipe. The plant cultivation apparatus described in 1.   Four or more plant pipes are installed around the growth light source so that the branch pipe is in the direction of the growth light source, and the plant placement portion of the branch pipe provided with the growth light source on the four or more plant pipes The plant cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein artificial light can be irradiated on the plant.   The plant cultivation device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is mounted on a movable table with a caster, the plant cultivation device is movable, and the reflector is sealed with a reflector. A plant cultivation apparatus characterized by being used by moving between a chamber and a transparent plate sealed chamber surrounded by a transparent plate.