JP2021097633A - Hydroponic panel cleaning device and brush for hydroponic panel cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a hydroponic panel cleaning device that has sufficient cleaning effects on both of a planting face and a non-planting face.SOLUTION: A hydroponic panel cleaning device 5 has a plurality of washing mechanisms 11,12,13, and a transport route 70 that transports a hydroponic panel 9. One of the plurality of washing mechanisms 11,12,13 is a washing mechanism that includes two brushes 1A,10A disposed along the transport route 70 and a brush drive mechanism 60 to rotate the brushes 1A,10A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a hydroponic panel cleaning device for cleaning a hydroponic panel used in hydroponics and a brush used in the hydroponic panel cleaning device.

In a plant factory that cultivates plants such as vegetables in a cultivation room, hydroponics is carried out in which plants are grown with a nutrient solution in which nutrients necessary for growth are dissolved. For hydroponics, a styrofoam hydroponic panel 9 as shown in FIG. 14 is widely used. The hydroponic panel 9 is a flat rectangular plate-like body, and the front and back surfaces having a large area are called planting surfaces 91 on which plants are planted, and the outer peripheral end surfaces are called non-planting surfaces 92. The planting surface 91 is provided with a plurality of planting holes 90 for holding the plants at intervals.

In order to use the hydroponic panel repeatedly, it is necessary to wash the used hydroponic panel to remove stains such as attached algae and fungi, and to remove the residue of the roots that have bitten into it. Conventionally, as this type of hydroponic panel cleaning device, a type that cleans the planted surface and the non-planted surface of the hydroponic panel by spraying high pressure water toward both front and back surfaces and both end surfaces of the hydroponic panel (for example, Patent Document). 1) and a type that cleans the planted surface of the hydroponic panel with a brush while spraying the cleaning liquid toward both the front and back sides of the hydroponic panel (see, for example, Patent Document 2), and various types are proposed. Has been done.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-223136 Jitsukaisho 63-38759

However, since all hydroponic panel cleaning devices have different cleaning performance, it is difficult to reliably remove stains such as slimy algae and fungi on both the planted surface and the non-planted surface, and foaming. There is a problem that it is not easy to remove root residues such as root biting seen in a resin hydroponic panel, and a sufficient cleaning effect cannot be obtained.

In addition, among the hydroponic panel cleaning devices, the hydroponic panel cleaning device using a brush has excellent cleaning ability, but the hydroponic panel may be damaged by the brush, which adversely affects the life of the hydroponic panel. There's a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hydroponic panel cleaning device capable of obtaining a sufficient cleaning effect on both a planted surface and a non-planted surface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a brush for a hydroponic panel cleaning device capable of removing dirt without damaging the hydroponic panel and reliably removing root residues.

The hydroponic panel cleaning device according to the present invention is for cleaning the hydroponic panel, and has a plurality of cleaning mechanisms and a transport path for transporting the hydroponic panel. One of the plurality of cleaning mechanisms comprises a cleaning mechanism including at least one brush arranged along the transport path and a brush driving mechanism for rotating the brushes.

When the hydroponic panel to be cleaned is carried into the hydroponic panel cleaning device according to the present invention, the hydroponic panel is transported along the transport route, and a plurality of cleaning mechanisms remove slimy algae and fungi from the roots. Root residues such as bites are removed. In this case, since any one of the plurality of cleaning mechanisms is a cleaning mechanism using a brush suitable for cleaning the planted surface, hydroponics can be achieved by combining this cleaning mechanism with a cleaning mechanism suitable for cleaning the non-planted surface. It is possible to surely remove the dirt adhering to the planted surface and the non-planted surface of the panel, and surely remove the residue of the roots that have bitten into the hydroponic panel, and it is possible to sufficiently wash both the planted surface and the non-planted surface. In this case, the cleaning of the hydroponic panel may be in the process of passing or may be in a stationary state. The hydroponic panel may be transported by either automatic power transfer or manual transfer.

The hydroponic panel is typically made of foamed resin, but is not limited to this, and may be other than foamed resin.

In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of cleaning mechanisms comprises a first cleaning mechanism that includes a brush and a brush driving mechanism, and another cleaning mechanism that does not include a brush and a brush driving mechanism. The brushes constituting the first cleaning mechanism are arranged so that the tips of the hairs are located on the path through which the planting surface of the hydroponic panel passes.

The cleaning mechanism using a brush is suitable for cleaning the planting surface of the hydroponic panel, and by arranging the brush so that the tip of the hair is located on the path through which the planting surface of the hydroponic panel passes, the hydroponic panel The planting surface is thoroughly cleaned.

In a preferred embodiment, the other cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning mechanism including a plate-shaped cleaning body arranged along the transport path. The wash body is arranged so that the surface follows the path through which the non-planting surface of the hydroponic panel passes.

The cleaning mechanism using a plate-shaped cleaning body is suitable for cleaning the non-planting surface of the hydroponic panel, and the cleaning body is arranged so that the surface follows the path through which the non-planting surface of the hydroponic panel passes. The non-planting surface of the panel is thoroughly cleaned. It is desirable that the cleaning body is reciprocated by a reciprocating mechanism, but the cleaning body is not limited to this, and may be fixed without being moved.

In another preferred embodiment, a cleaning mechanism including a water injection nozzle arranged along the transport path and a pump for feeding water to the injection nozzle is further included. The injection nozzle is arranged so that the injection hole faces the path through which the planting surface of the hydroponic panel passes.

The cleaning mechanism using the high-pressure water injection nozzle is suitable for cleaning not only the planting surface of the hydroponic panel but also the planting hole so that the injection nozzle faces the path through which the planting surface of the hydroponic panel passes. The inner surface of the planting hole of the hydroponic panel is sufficiently cleaned by arranging it in. The water injected from the injection nozzle is preferably warm water that has been heated, but it may be water at room temperature. Further, the water is preferably high-pressure water injected at high pressure, but is not limited to this.

The hydroponic panel cleaning device preferably further comprises a housing having a cleaning mechanism and a transport path inside. The housing has a carry-in port for carrying the hydroponic panel to be washed into the transport path and a carry-out port for carrying out the washed hydroponic panel from the transport path.

The brush according to the present invention preferably has a bristles of 0.05 mm or more and 0.15 mm or less.

The physical force of the hair acting on the hydroponic panel increases with the thickness of the hair, and thicker hair enhances the ability to remove dirt and root debris, while the hydroponic panel Since it is easy to damage, set the thickness of the hair to the above optimum range. Here, the "hair thickness" means the diameter of a perfect circle if the cross-sectional shape of the hair is a perfect circle, and the maximum diameter of the circle if it is not a perfect circle.

According to the brush of the present invention, it is possible to remove the dirt adhering to the hydroponic panel and remove the root residue that has bitten into the hydroponic panel without damaging the hydroponic panel.

In a preferred embodiment, the bristles are radially provided around a cylindrical shaft and the length of the bristles is set so that the brush outer diameter is 60 mm or less.

Further, in a preferred embodiment, the hairs are provided radially around the cylindrical shaft body, and the length of the hairs is 0.5 times or more and 1.5 times or less the diameter of the shaft body. Set.

According to the hydroponic panel cleaning device of the present invention, a sufficient cleaning effect can be obtained on both the planted surface and the non-planted surface.
Further, according to the brush for the hydroponic panel cleaning device of the present invention, dirt can be removed without damaging the hydroponic panel, and root residues can be reliably removed.

It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of a hydroponic panel cleaning apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the internal mechanism of a hydroponic panel cleaning apparatus. It is a principle explanatory drawing of the reciprocating mechanism of a washing body. It is a front view which made the part which shows the 1st Embodiment of a brush, and is a cross section. It is a front view which shows the 2nd Embodiment of a brush. It is a front view which made the part which shows the 3rd Embodiment of a brush a cross section. It is explanatory drawing which shows another example of the internal mechanism of a hydroponic panel cleaning apparatus. It is a perspective view of the cleaning mechanism of the planting surface using the brush shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the cleaning mechanism of the non-planting surface using the brush shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the cleaning mechanism of the planting surface using the brush shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. It is a perspective view of the cleaning mechanism of the non-planting surface using the brush shown in FIG. This is experimental data for explaining the relationship between the thickness of the brush bristles and the cleaning effect of the hydroponic panel. It is experimental data for explaining the cleaning effect of a hydroponic panel by a brush. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of a hydroponic panel.

(1) Configuration of Hydroponic Panel Cleaning Device FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the hydroponic panel cleaning device 5. The hydroponic panel cleaning device 5 of this embodiment includes first to third cleaning mechanisms 11, 12, and 13 and a transport mechanism 7 that transports the hydroponic panel 9 along a horizontal transport path 70. ing. The housing 50 of this device has a carry-in inlet 51 for carrying the hydroponic panel 9 to be washed into the transport path 70, and a carry-out port 52 for carrying out the washed hydroponic panel 9 from the transport path 70. Although not shown, a tray for collecting the washed hydroponic panel 9 is provided outside the carry-out port 52.

Inside the housing 50, the first to third cleaning mechanisms 11, 12, and 13, the transport mechanism 7, and the cleaning liquid injection mechanism 8 are incorporated in the upper space indicated by X in the drawing. The first cleaning mechanism 11 is a planting surface cleaning mechanism 6 using brushes 1A and 10A. The second cleaning mechanism 12 is a cleaning mechanism 100 for a non-planting surface using a plate-shaped cleaning body 102. The third cleaning mechanism 13 is a cleaning mechanism 110 for the planting surface and the like using the high-pressure water injection nozzles 112 and 113, and is suitable for cleaning not only the planting surface 91 of the hydroponic panel 9 but also the planting hole 90. ..

In the lower space indicated by Y, a brush drive mechanism 60 that rotationally drives the brushes 1A and 10A of the first cleaning mechanism 11, a reciprocating mechanism 101 that reciprocates the cleaning body 102 of the second cleaning mechanism 12, and a third A pump 111 that sends high-pressure water to the injection nozzles 112 and 113 of the cleaning mechanism, a drive mechanism 74 that drives the transport mechanism 7, a control device that controls the operation of each component, and a power supply that supplies power to each component and control device. Etc. are built in.

The first cleaning mechanism 11 cleans both the front and back surfaces (planting surface 91) of the hydroponic panel 9 with the first brush 1A and the second brush 10A, and the first brush 1A, the second brush 10A, and the brush driving mechanism. 60 constitutes a cleaning mechanism 6 for the planting surface. The first brush 1A and the second brush 10A are arranged at different positions on the upper side and the lower side along the transport path 70, respectively. The first brush 1A faces the transport roller 73 vertically with the transport path 70 interposed therebetween. The second brush 10A is located between the two transfer rollers 73 and 73.

The first brush 1A is arranged so that the tip of the hair 2 is located on the path through which the planting surface 91 on the surface of the hydroponic panel 9 passes, and the planting surface 91 on the surface side of the hydroponic panel 9 is arranged. To wash.
The second brush 10A is arranged so that the tip of the hair 2 is located on the path through which the planting surface 91 on the back surface of the hydroponic panel 9 passes, and the planting surface 91 on the back surface side of the hydroponic panel 9 is arranged. Clean.
The first brush 1A and the second brush 10A are cylindrical brushes of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4, and have different brush outer diameters. The details of the brushes 1A and 10A of the first embodiment will be described later.

The second cleaning mechanism 12 cleans both end faces (non-planting surfaces 92) of the hydroponic panel 9 with a pair of left and right plate-shaped cleaning bodies 102 and 102, and the pair of left and right cleaning bodies 102 and the reciprocating mechanism 101. The cleaning mechanism 100 for the non-planting surface is configured by the above. In this embodiment, each cleaning body 102 uses a non-woven fabric made of polyester and a sponge made of polyurethane foam bonded together, but is a strip-shaped body or a rectangular parallelepiped having a certain thickness (for example, 50 to 100 mm). As long as the surface is flexible, the present invention is not limited to this.

The reciprocating mechanism 101 of this embodiment swings the cleaning body 102 so that the cleaning body 102 rubs the side end surface of the hydroponic panel 9 for cleaning.
FIG. 3 shows an example of the reciprocating mechanism 101, which includes a cam plate 103 and cranks 104 and 105 that change a rotational motion by a motor (not shown) into a swing motion. In the figure, 106 to 108 are pivots that freely rotate and connect the two members.

When the cam plate 103 rotates, the cranks 104 and 105 change the rotational motion into a swinging motion and transmit it to the cleaning body 102, whereby the cleaning body 102 swings as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in the figure. The reciprocating mechanism 101 is not limited to a mode in which the cleaning body 102 is swung, but may be a mode in which the cleaning body 102 is reciprocated linearly. Further, the cleaning body 102 may be fixed without moving.

The third cleaning mechanism 13 injects hot water at high pressure from the injection nozzles 112 and 113 toward the front and back surfaces and both end faces of the hydroponic panel 9, and the planting surface 91, the non-planting surface 92, and the planting surface of the hydroponic panel 9 are planted. The holes 90 are cleaned, and the injection nozzles 112 and 113 and the pump 110 form a cleaning mechanism 110 for the planting surface and the like.
Each of the injection nozzles 112 and 113 is a tubular body having a length corresponding to the width of the hydroponic panel 9, and a plurality of high pressures are formed on the lower surface of the upper nozzle 112 and on the upper surface of the lower nozzle 113. Water injection holes (not shown) are provided at regular intervals. In this embodiment, the injection nozzles 112 and 113 are supported by a swinging frame (not shown) to swing, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the injection nozzles 112 and 113 may be supported by a fixed frame. The water to be jetted is preferably high-pressure water, for example, high-pressure water having a pressure of 0.5 to 1.5 MPa, but is not limited to high-pressure water. Further, as the water to be jetted, water at room temperature can be used instead of hot water.

The transport mechanism 7 takes the hydroponic panel 9 into the housing 50, transports it along the horizontal transport path 70, and sends it out of the housing 50. The hydroponic panel 9 is sandwiched from above and below and forward-forwarded. It is composed of two pairs of front and rear transfer rollers 71 and 72 and two transfer rollers 73 that support the hydroponic panel 9 from the lower surface and feed it forward. The transport rollers 71, 72, and 73 are rotationally driven by a drive mechanism 74 whose drive source is a motor. In this embodiment, the transport rollers 71, 72, and 73 are driven by the drive mechanism 74, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the hydroponic panel 9 is manually transported by being driven by a handle operation or the like. You may.

The hydroponic panel 9 is a mold molded product using a foamed resin made of a mixed material of polystyrene (PS) and polypropylene (PP), but other foamed resins such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) and polystyrene (PP) are used. ) Or other foamed resin may be used. Further, the hydroponic panel 9 is not limited to the foamed resin mold molded product, and may be a resin molded product by injection molding or vacuum forming.

(2) Brush Configuration FIGS. 4 to 6 show an embodiment of a brush incorporated in a hydroponic panel cleaning device. FIG. 4 shows the brush 1A of the first embodiment, in which a large number of hairs 2 are radially provided around a cylindrical shaft body 3. The brush 1A of this embodiment is suitable for cleaning the planted surface 91 of the hydroponic panel 9, but can also be used for cleaning the non-planted surface 92 of the hydroponic panel 9.

A plurality of hairs 2 are planted on the peripheral surface of the shaft body 3. In the brush 1A of this embodiment, a plurality of bristles 2 are evenly planted over the entire outer peripheral surface over a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the bristles 2 are spirally wound over the entire outer peripheral surface. It may be planted.
Rotating shafts 30 are connected to both ends of the shaft body 3. The rotating shaft 30 is connected by the brush driving mechanism 60, and the brush 1A rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing by the driving of the brush driving mechanism 60. The brush drive mechanism 60 uses a motor as a drive source and includes a power transmission mechanism such as a gear and a transmission belt.

The hair 2 is flexible, has flexibility and elasticity, and is preferably made of a material having low water absorption and excellent heat resistance. For example, a chemical fiber such as nylon 66 is used, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a chemical fiber other than nylon 66 may be used, and animal hair or plant fiber may be used in addition to the chemical fiber.

The cross-sectional shape of the hair 2 in the direction orthogonal to the length direction is substantially a perfect circle, and the thickness (diameter) of the hair 2 is preferably 0.05 mm or more and 0.15 mm or less, and further within this range. Then, the one having a thickness of 0.1 mm is suitable. If the thickness of the hair 2 is less than 0.05 mm, the cleaning effect is lowered, and if it exceeds 0.15 mm, the surface of the hydroponic panel 9 may be damaged.

All the bristles 2 have the same length, and the outer shape of the brush 1A has a cylindrical shape. In order to enhance the ability to remove the root residue that has bitten into the hydroponic panel 9, the brush 1A has a length L of hair 2 set so that the brush outer diameter R is 60 mm or less (preferably 40 mm or less), and further. It is desirable that the length L of the hair 2 is set within a range of 0.5 times or more and 1.5 times or less the diameter r of the shaft body 3.
The first brush 1A incorporated in the hydroponic panel cleaning device 5 of FIG. 2 has a brush outer shape R of 20 mm, and the second brush 10A has a brush outer shape R of 40 mm.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of a brush for a hydroponic panel cleaning device. The brush 1B of this embodiment is provided with bristles 20 having the same length aligned on the flat surface of the disk-shaped main body 4, and is not suitable for cleaning the planting surface 91 of the hydroponic panel 9. It can also be used for cleaning the planting surface 92. A plurality of hairs 20 are planted on the surface of the main body 4, and the hairs 20 so planted cover the entire surface of the main body 4.
A rotating shaft 41 is connected to the back surface of the main body 4 via a connecting flange 40. The rotating shaft 41 is connected to a brush driving mechanism (not shown), and the brush 1B is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing by driving the brush driving mechanism.

As the hair 20, nylon 66 is used as in the first embodiment, but other chemical fibers, animal hair, and plant fibers can also be used. The thickness of the hair 20 is preferably 0.05 mm or more and 0.15 mm or less.

FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of a brush for a hydroponic panel cleaning device. This brush 1C is provided with side plate portions 42 and 42 at both ends of the cylindrical shaft body 3, and hairs 2 having the same length are radially provided around the shaft body 3 and on the inner surface of each side plate portion 42. Hairs 20 of the same length are provided in the same direction. In the brush 1C of this embodiment, the bristles 2 around the shaft body 3 can be used for cleaning the planted surface 91 of the hydroponic panel 9, and the bristles 20 inside the side plate portion 42 can be used for cleaning the non-planted surface 92. It is possible to clean the planted surface 91 and the non-planted surface 92 of the hydroponic panel 9 at the same time with one brush 1C.

A plurality of hairs 2 and 20 are planted on the peripheral surface of the shaft body 3 and the inner surface of the side plate portion 42, and the hairs 2 and 20 so planted are the outer peripheral surface of the shaft body 3 and the inner surface of each side plate portion 42. It covers the entire surface of. Rotating shafts 30 are connected to both ends of the shaft body 3. The rotating shaft 30 is connected to a brush driving mechanism (not shown), and the brush 1B is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing by driving the brush driving mechanism.

Nylon 66 is used for the hairs 2 and 20 as in the first and second embodiments, but other chemical fibers, animal hairs, and plant fibers can also be used. The thickness of the hairs 2 and 20 is preferably 0.05 mm or more and 0.15 mm or less.

The length of the hair 2 of the shaft body 10 of the brush 1C is such that the outer diameter of the brush is 60 mm or less (preferably 40 mm or less) in order to enhance the ability to remove the root residue that has bitten into the hydroponic panel 9. Further, it is desirable that the length of the hair 2 is set within a range of 0.5 times or more and 1.5 times or less the diameter of the shaft body 3.

(3) Operation of Hydroponic Panel Cleaning Device In the hydroponic panel cleaning device 5 having the above configuration, when the hydroponic panel 9 is carried into the housing 50 from the carry-in inlet 51, the hydroponic panel 9 is transferred to the transport mechanism 7. The planting surface 91, the non-planting surface 92, and the planting surface of the hydroponic panel 9 are planted by the first, second, and third cleaning mechanisms 11, 12, and 13, while the transfer path 70 is conveyed by the transfer rollers 71, 72, and 73. The holes 90 are cleaned.

The planting surfaces 91 on both the front and back surfaces of the hydroponic panel 9 are mainly provided by the first brush 1A and the second brush 10A of the first cleaning mechanism 11, and the non-planting surfaces 92 on both end faces of the hydroponic panel 9 are mainly the first. The inner surface of the planting hole 90 of the hydroponic panel 9 was removed and bitten by the plate-shaped cleaning body 102 of the cleaning mechanism 11 of 2 and mainly by the high-pressure water of the third cleaning mechanism 13. Root residues are removed.
In this case, since the thickness of the bristles 2 of the brushes 1A and 10A is 0.05 mm or more and 0.15 mm or less, dirt and water adhering to the hydroponic panel 9 without damaging the planting surface 91 of the hydroponic panel 9. The root residue that has bitten into the tillage panel 9 is removed.

(4) Other Embodiments of Hydroponic Panel Cleaning Device FIG. 7 shows other embodiments of the hydroponic panel cleaning device.
In the hydroponic panel cleaning device 5 of this embodiment, the first and second cleaning mechanisms 11 and 12 and the hydroponic panel 9 are placed in a horizontal transport path 70 in the upper space indicated by X inside the housing 50. A transport mechanism 7 for transporting along the line and a cleaning liquid injection device 8 for injecting cleaning liquid onto the hydroponic panel 9 are incorporated. The transport mechanism 7 of this embodiment is composed of a plurality of pairs of transport rollers 71, 72 that sandwich the hydroponic panel 9 from above and below and feed it forward.

The first cleaning mechanism 11 cleans the planting surface 91 on the surface side of the hydroponic panel 9 with the first brush 1A, and the first brush 1A and the brush drive mechanism 60 constitute the planting surface cleaning mechanism 6. ..
The second cleaning mechanism 12 cleans the planted surface 91 on the back surface side of the hydroponic panel 9 and the non-planted surface 92 on both end faces with the second brush 1C, and the second brush 1C and the brush drive mechanism 60 use the second brush 1C. It constitutes a cleaning mechanism 110 for the planted surface and the like.

The first brush 1A and the second brush 1C are arranged at the same positions on the upper side and the lower side along the transport path 70, respectively, and face each other vertically with the transport path 70 in between.
The first brush 1A is arranged so that the tip of the bristles 2 of the first brush 1A is located on the path through which the planting surface 91 on the upper surface of the hydroponic panel 9 passes, and is on the surface side of the hydroponic panel 9. The planting surface 91 of the plant is washed.
In the second brush 1C, the tip of the bristles 2 of the second brush 10A is located on the path through which the planting surface 91 on the lower surface of the hydroponic panel 9 passes, and the non-planting surfaces 92 on both end faces of the hydroponic panel 9 pass through. The tip of the bristles 20 of the second brush 1C is arranged so as to be located on the path to be used, and the planting surface 91 on the back surface side of the hydroponic panel 9 and the non-planting surface 92 on both side end surfaces are simultaneously cleaned.

The cleaning liquid injection device 8 injects the cleaning liquid toward both the front and back surfaces of the hydroponic panel 9 to be conveyed through the transfer path 70, and the transfer path is upstream of the positions of the first and second brushes 1A and 1C. The first injection pipes 81 and 82 arranged so as to sandwich the 70, and the second injection pipe 83 arranged so as to sandwich the transport path 70 on the downstream side with respect to the positions of the first and second brushes 1A and 1C. , 84 and so on. Injection holes are provided on the lower surfaces of the injection pipes 81 and 83 and the upper surfaces of the injection pipes 82 and 84, respectively. A cleaning liquid is sent to each of the injection pipes 81 to 84 from a water supply mechanism (not shown). The sprayed cleaning liquid is collected by a drainage mechanism (not shown). As the cleaning liquid, various types such as hot water, hot water with a detergent added, and a bactericidal agent added can be used.

(5) Other Configuration Examples of Planting Surface and Non-Planting Surface Cleaning Mechanisms FIG. 8 shows other configuration examples of the planting surface cleaning mechanism 6. The one shown in the figure is an embodiment in which the same brushes 1A and 1A of the first embodiment are arranged to face each other at the same upper and lower positions sandwiching the transport path 70 of the hydroponic panel 9. The upper brush 1A is arranged so that the tip portion of the bristles 2 is located on the path through which the planting surface 91 on the front surface side of the hydroponic panel 9 passes. The lower brush 1A is arranged so that the tip portion of the bristles 2 is located on the path through which the planting surface 91 on the back surface side of the hydroponic panel 9 passes. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the brushes 1A and 10A are arranged with the positions shifted.

FIG. 9 shows another configuration example of the cleaning mechanism 100 for the non-planting surface. In the figure, the same brushes 1A and 1A of the first embodiment are arranged to face each other at the same positions on both sides of the hydroponic panel 9 with the transport path 70 in between. Each brush 1A is arranged so that the tip portion of the bristles 2 is located on the path through which the non-planting surfaces 92 on both side end faces of the hydroponic panel 9 pass.

FIG. 10 shows another configuration example of the planting surface cleaning mechanism 6. The one shown in the figure is a mode in which the brush 1A of the first embodiment and the brush 1B of the second embodiment are arranged to face each other at the same upper and lower positions sandwiching the transport path 70 of the hydroponic panel 9. The upper brush 1B is arranged so that the tip portion of the bristles 20 is located on the path through which the planting surface 91 on the upper surface of the hydroponic panel 9 passes. The lower brush 1A is arranged so that the tip portion of the bristles 2 is located on the path through which the planting surface 91 on the lower surface of the hydroponic panel 9 passes.

FIG. 11 shows another configuration example of the cleaning mechanism 100 for the non-planting surface. The one shown in the figure is a mode in which the brush 1B of the second embodiment is arranged to face each other at the same position on both sides of the hydroponic panel 9 with the transport path 70 sandwiched between them. Each brush 1B is arranged so that the tip portion of the bristles 20 is located on the path through which the non-planting surfaces 92 on both side end faces of the hydroponic panel 9 pass.

When designing the hydroponic panel cleaning device, by combining the above-mentioned cleaning mechanism, it is possible to clean both the planted surface 91 and the non-planted surface 92 of the hydroponic panel 9.
For example, the two brushes 1A and 1A are arranged along the transport path 70 of the hydroponic panel 9 in the manner shown in FIG. 8, and the two brushes 1A and 1A are arranged upstream or downstream of the two brushes 1A and 1A in the manner shown in FIG. By arranging 1A or arranging two brushes 1B and 1B in the manner shown in FIG. 11, the planting surfaces 91 on both the front and back sides of the hydroponic panel 9 and the non-planting surfaces 92 on both end faces can be cleaned. it can.

Further, the two brushes 1A and 1B are arranged along the transport path 70 of the hydroponic panel 9 in the manner shown in FIG. 10, and the two brushes 1A and 1B are arranged upstream or downstream of the two brushes 1A and 1B in the manner shown in FIG. By arranging 1A or arranging two brushes 1B and 1B in the manner shown in FIG. 11, the planting surfaces 91 on both the front and back sides of the hydroponic panel 9 and the non-planting surfaces 92 on both end faces can be cleaned. it can.

In each of the above aspects, the planting surfaces 91 on the front and back sides of the hydroponic panel 9 and the non-planting surfaces 92 on both sides are each completed by one cleaning, but the brushes and cleanings arranged along the transport path 70 are completed. By increasing the number of bodies and providing a patrol path so that the hydroponic panel 9 repeatedly passes through the transport path 70, it is possible to wash each planted surface 91 and each non-planted surface 92 twice or more. is there.

(6) Brush effect confirmation test 1
In order to investigate the relationship between the thickness of the bristles 2 of the brush, the cleaning effect, and the scratches generated on the hydroponic panel 9, the following effect confirmation test 1 was carried out. Here, the test is performed using the brush 1A of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4, and the hydroponic panel 9 uses a rectangular plate-shaped hydroponic panel made of foamed resin.
In this effect confirmation test 1, the degree of pressing of each brush 1A against the hydroponic panel 9 was changed for four types of brushes 1A having bristles 2 having a thickness of 0.4 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.1 mm, and 0.075 mm. This is to confirm the cleaning effect and the presence or absence of scratches when the brush is used. The degree of pressing of the brush 1A against the hydroponic panel 9 is changed by changing the degree of proximity of the brush 1A to the planting surface 91 of the hydroponic panel 9. The brush 1A used in this test has a shaft body 3 having a diameter of 40 mm, a brush outer diameter R of 80 mm, and a hair length of 20 mm.

FIG. 12 shows the test results of the effect confirmation test 1. In the test shown in the figure, the degree of pressing of the brush 1A against the hydroponic panel 9 is set to 0 mm when the bristles of the brush 1A are in contact with the planting surface 91 of the hydroponic panel 9, and the brush 1A is hydroponic in 1 mm units. It shows the cleaning effect of the hydroponic panel 9 and the presence or absence of scratches when it is brought close to the panel 9. The rotation speed of the brush 1A during the test was set to 320 rpm, and the cleaning time was set to 25 seconds.

In FIG. 12, x indicates that scratches were generated, and ◯ indicates that there were no scratches and the cleaning effect was obtained. According to FIG. 12, for the brush 1A having a bristles 2 having a thickness of 0.4 mm, when the brush 1A is brought closer to the hydroponic panel 9 by 1 mm (hereinafter, referred to as “the degree of pressing of 1 mm”), the hydroponic panel 9 The planting surface 91 was scratched. The same applies to the brush 1A having a hair 2 having a thickness of 0.2 mm, and the planting surface 91 of the hydroponic panel 9 is scratched with a pressing degree of 1 mm. The scratches generated on the hydroponic panel 9 include not only fine scratches but also chips and the like.

On the other hand, for the brush 1A having a hair 2 thickness of 0.1 mm, the planting surface 91 of the hydroponic panel 9 was not scratched even with a pressing degree of 3 mm, and either 1 mm, 2 mm or 3 mm was used. In the case of the degree of pressing, the dirt adhering to the hydroponic panel 9 could be removed, and the root residue that had bitten into the hydroponic panel 9 could be removed. Further, for the brush 1A having a hair 2 thickness of 0.075 mm, the planting surface 91 of the hydroponic panel 9 was not scratched even with a pressing degree of 5 mm, and the brush 1A was 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, and 5 mm. In any degree of pressing, the dirt adhering to the hydroponic panel 9 could be removed, and the root residue that had bitten into the hydroponic panel 9 could be removed.

(7) Brush effect confirmation test 2
In order to investigate the relationship between the magnitude of the brush outer diameter R of the brush and the cleaning effect, particularly the effect of removing root residues, the following effect confirmation test 2 was carried out. Here, the test is performed using the brush 1A of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and the hydroponic panel 9 uses a rectangular plate-shaped hydroponic panel made of foamed resin.
In this effect confirmation test 2, the hydroponic panel 9 is washed with a brush having a brush outer diameter R of 80 mm, a shaft body 3 diameter r of 40 mm, and a hair 2 length L of 20 mm (hereinafter referred to as "large diameter brush"). After that, when the hydroponic panel 9 is continuously washed with a brush having a brush outer diameter R of 40 mm, a shaft body 3 diameter r of 10 mm, and a hair length L of 15 mm (hereinafter referred to as "small diameter brush"), it is washed. The number of root residues that bite into the hydroponic panel 9 was measured before, after cleaning with a large-diameter brush, and after cleaning with a small-diameter brush. The brush 1A used in this test has a hair thickness of 0.01 mm. The rotation speed of the brush 1A during the test is set to 200 rpm, and the cleaning time is set to 20 seconds.

FIG. 13A shows the test results when the above-mentioned effect confirmation test 2 was performed on the three hydroponic panels 9. According to FIG. 13 (1), the number of root residues was 9.0 before cleaning, the number of root residues was 3.3 after cleaning with a large-diameter brush, and after cleaning with a small-diameter brush. The number of root residues is 1.3. The number of root residues is an average value for the three hydroponic panels 9.
The large-diameter brush has a hair length L (L = 20 mm) 0.5 times the diameter r (r = 40 mm) of the shaft body 3, while the small-diameter brush has a hair length L (L = 15 mm). ) Is 1.5 times the diameter r (r = 10 mm) of the shaft body 3.

FIG. 13B shows the results of measuring the number of root residues that bite into the hydroponic panel 9 before and after cleaning the hydroponic panel 9 with the small-diameter brush. According to FIG. 13B, the number of root residues is 10.3 before cleaning, and the number of root residues is 1.7 after cleaning with a small-diameter brush. The number of root residues is an average value for the three hydroponic panels 9.
From the above, both the large-diameter brush and the small-diameter brush have the ability to remove the root residue that has bitten into the hydroponic panel 9, but the small-diameter brush has the ability to remove the root residue than the large-diameter brush. It turns out that is high.

1A, 1B, 1C, 10A Brush 2,20 Hair 3 Shaft 5 Hydroponic panel cleaning device 6 Planting surface cleaning mechanism 7 Transport mechanism 9 Hydroponic panel 11 1st cleaning mechanism 12 2nd cleaning mechanism 13 3rd Cleaning mechanism 50 Housing 51 Carry-in entrance 52 Carry-out outlet 60 Brush drive mechanism 70 Transport path 90 Planting hole 91 Planting surface 92 Non-planting surface 100 Non-planting surface cleaning mechanism 101 Reciprocating mechanism 102 Cleaning body 110 Cleaning mechanism for planting surface, etc. 112 , 113 Injection nozzle

Claims (9)

A hydroponic panel cleaning device for cleaning a hydroponic panel, which has a plurality of cleaning mechanisms and a transport path for transporting the hydroponic panel, and any one of the plurality of cleaning mechanisms is described above. A hydroponic panel cleaning device comprising a cleaning mechanism including at least one brush arranged along a transport path and a brush driving mechanism for rotating the brush. The hydroponic panel cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the hydroponic panel is entirely made of foamed resin. The plurality of cleaning mechanisms include a first cleaning mechanism including the brush and the brush driving mechanism, and another cleaning mechanism not including the brush and the brush driving mechanism, and constitutes the first cleaning mechanism. The hydroponic panel cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the brush is arranged so that the tip of the bristles is located on a path through which the planting surface of the hydroponic panel passes. The other cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning mechanism including a plate-shaped cleaning body arranged along the transport path so that the surface of the cleaning body follows a path through which the non-planting surface of the hydroponic panel passes. The hydroponic panel cleaning apparatus according to claim 1. The other cleaning mechanism further includes a cleaning mechanism including a water injection nozzle arranged along the transport path and a pump for feeding water to the injection nozzle, wherein the injection nozzle has a planting surface of a hydroponic panel. The hydroponic panel cleaning device according to claim 3, wherein the injection holes are arranged so as to face the passing path. It further has a housing having the cleaning mechanism and a transport path inside, and the housing has a carry-in port for carrying the hydroponic panel to be cleaned into the transport path and has been cleaned from the transport path. The hydroponic panel cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which has a carry-out port for carrying out the hydroponic panel. A brush used for a hydroponic panel cleaning device for cleaning a hydroponic panel, and a brush for a hydroponic panel cleaning device having a hair thickness of 0.05 mm or more and 0.15 mm or less. The brush for a hydroponic panel cleaning device according to claim 7, wherein the bristles are radially provided around a cylindrical shaft body, and the length of the bristles is set so that the outer diameter of the brush is 60 mm or less. The water according to claim 7, wherein the hairs are radially provided around a cylindrical shaft body, and the length of the hairs is set to 0.5 times or more and 1.5 times or less the diameter of the shaft body. Brush for tillage panel cleaning equipment.

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