JP2021097642A - Seedling-raising machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a seedling-raising machine that simplifies a watering structure or the like, can be easily installed even in an ordinary farm, and can automate a seedling-raising work to improve efficiency of the work while raising tough seedlings adaptable to an environment of a region in a short period, and can easily cope with even occurrence of natural disaster or the like.SOLUTION: A seedling-raising machine comprises: a cultivation tray arranged inside a body, which is formed in a square shape in a plane view, in a horizontal state; LED illumination devices arranged above the cultivation tray by a prescribed distance; and a watering device capable of feeding water into the cultivation tray. The watering device has: a pump connected to a water feeding/discharging port at the deepest part of the cultivation tray; and a tank connected to the pump, in which water inside the tank is fed into the cultivation tray via the water feeding/discharging port or water inside the cultivation tray is discharged via the water feeding/discharging port corresponding to an operation state of the pump.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention is used when a general vegetable farmer or the like grows vegetable seedlings from seeds and transplants the grown seedlings to his or her own field for cultivation, or when the seedlings are delivered to a roadside station or the like and sold. In particular, it relates to a seedling raising machine with a simplified irrigation structure.

Conventionally, a cultivation device for growing vegetable seedlings is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. This cultivation device includes a building structure that constitutes a closed space, an air conditioner installed on the ceiling of the building structure, and a plurality of box-shaped multi-stage shelf plant growing devices installed in the building structure. (Growth module) etc. are provided, and the environment of each growth module in the building structure is made uniform by the positional relationship between the air outlet of the air conditioner and the growth module, and seedlings are cultivated.

Japanese Patent No. 6056929

However, in such a cultivation device, a building structure in which the internal air conditioning is controlled is required or a large-scale irrigation device is also required, and the cultivation device itself becomes extremely large and complicated, and is used by general farmers and the like. It is difficult to use. Therefore, when growing vegetable seedlings in a general farmer, various operations from germination to raising of seedlings such as sowing (sowing) and watering are performed by installing cultivation pots and trays for raising seedlings in greenhouses, etc. Is done manually.

Therefore, with such a seedling raising method, it is difficult to grow stable and uniform quality seedlings in a short period of time, grow vegetables by themselves, or sell the raised seedlings. For example, typhoons that occur frequently these days. If the seedlings that have been raised and transplanted or the vegetables that are being cultivated are damaged by a natural disaster such as heavy rain or heavy rain, the disaster itself will cause great financial damage to the farmers and it will take time to grow the seedlings again. As a result, the economic damage to farmers will further increase, and the actual situation is that countermeasures are desired.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to simplify the irrigation structure and the like so that it can be easily installed even by a general farmer, and to automate the seedling raising work to improve the work efficiency. The purpose is to provide a seedling raising machine that can grow strong seedlings that can adapt to the local environment in a short period of time and can easily respond to natural disasters.

In order to achieve such an object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a main body formed in a horizontal view shape having left and right side surfaces, an upper surface, a back surface, and a front surface formed by an openable / closable door. A cultivation tray arranged horizontally inside the main body, an LED lighting device arranged above a predetermined distance of the cultivation tray, and an irrigation device capable of supplying water into the cultivation tray. The irrigation device has a pump connected to a water supply / drainage port provided at the deepest part of the cultivation tray and a tank connected to the pump, and the water in the tank is supplied with water from the water supply / drainage according to the operating state of the pump. It is characterized in that it is supplied into the cultivation tray through the mouth and the water in the cultivation tray is discharged through the water supply / drainage port.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2, the pump is composed of an amphibious centrifugal pump, is arranged at substantially the same height as the bottom surface of the tank, and is provided at the deepest part of the cultivation tray for water supply and drainage. A pipe for water supply and drainage of the irrigation system is arranged at a position lower than a predetermined dimension with respect to the mouth.

The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that an overflow pipe that opens above the water supply / drainage port is provided at a predetermined position of the cultivation tray. Further, the invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the water supply / drainage port is provided on the bottom surface of a recess as the deepest portion formed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation tray.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that an integrated seedling raising tray, a hydrophilic sheet and a plug tray are accommodated and arranged on the bottom surface of the cultivation tray so as to be able to be taken in and out. Furthermore, according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the main body is opened at least below the main body to form an unsealed space in the main body that communicates with the outside air, and the movement is arranged in the lower part of the main body. It is characterized in that it is configured to be movable by a mechanism.

According to the invention of claim 1 of the present invention, the irrigation apparatus has a pump connected to a water supply / drainage port provided at the deepest part of the cultivation tray and a tank connected to the pump, and the operating state of the pump. Depending on the situation, the water in the tank is supplied to the cultivation tray through the water supply / drainage port, and the water in the cultivation tray is discharged through the water supply / drainage port, so one pipe can be used for both water supply and drainage. In addition to simplifying the irrigation system and easily installing it even for general farmers, it is possible to grow strong seedlings that can adapt to the local environment in a short period of time while improving work efficiency by automating the seedling raising work, which is natural. It is possible to easily respond to the occurrence of a disaster.

Further, according to the invention of claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1, the pump is composed of an amphibious centrifugal pump and is arranged at a position substantially the same height as the bottom surface of the tank. At the same time, since the water supply / drainage pipe of the irrigation system is arranged at a position lower than the predetermined size with respect to the water supply / drainage port provided at the deepest part of the cultivation tray, the irrigation device can be used while making the best use of the characteristics of the pump to be used. It can be further simplified.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1 or 2, an overflow pipe opening above the water supply / drainage port is provided at a predetermined position of the cultivation tray for irrigation. Occasionally, a predetermined amount of water can be stably supplied and maintained in the cultivation tray, and bottom intermittent irrigation suitable for raising seedlings can be performed, and the efficiency of raising seedlings can be improved.

Further, according to the invention of claim 4, in addition to the effect of the invention of claims 1 to 3, the water supply / drainage port is provided on the bottom surface of the recess as the deepest portion provided on one end side of the cultivation tray. Therefore, all the water on the bottom of the cultivation tray can be reliably drained from the deepest water supply / drainage port, and a predetermined amount of water can be supplied to the cultivation tray only during the time when water supply is required, further improving the seedling raising efficiency. be able to.

Further, according to the invention of claim 5, in addition to the effect of the invention of claims 1 to 4, the integrated seedling raising tray, the hydrophilic sheet and the plug tray can be accommodated and arranged on the cultivation tray so as to be put in and out. Therefore, the seedling raising tray in which the hydrophilic sheet and the plug sheet are integrated can be easily set and taken out on the cultivation tray, and the use of the hydrophilic sheet prevents the seedlings from overstretching, entanglement, and root rot. High quality seedlings can be grown.

Further, according to the invention of claim 6, in addition to the effect of the invention of claims 1 to 5, the main body is opened at least below the main body to form an unsealed space in the main body that communicates with the outside air. At the same time, because it is configured to be movable by the moving mechanism arranged at the bottom of the main body, the seedling raising machine itself has a simple configuration without the need for building structures or air conditioners, and even general farmers can use it as a commercial power source. It can be easily installed by using tap water, etc., and seedlings can be raised in a short period of time, making it even easier to respond to, for example, the occurrence of a natural disaster.

Schematic front view showing an embodiment of a seedling raising machine according to the present invention. The outline right side view Schematic cross-sectional view of the cultivation tray part Same wiring system diagram Same piping system diagram (A) is a plan view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of (a) showing the cultivation tray. Diagram showing the same water supply / drainage port The figure which shows the overflow port part The figure which shows the mounting state of the LED lighting device Schematic front view showing another embodiment of the seedling raising machine according to the present invention. The outline right side view (A) is a plan view, (b) is a BB sectional view of (a), and (c) is a CC sectional view of (a) showing the cultivation tray.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
1 to 9 show an embodiment of a seedling raising machine according to the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the seedling raising machine 1 has a main body 2 having left and right side surfaces 2a, a back surface 2b, a front surface 2c, and an upper surface 2d, and two stages arranged horizontally on the upper portion of the main body 2. The cultivation tray 3, the LED lighting device 4 arranged above each cultivation tray 3, the irrigation device 5 capable of supplying water to the cultivation tray 3, and the right side surface 2a of the main body 2, for example, are arranged. It is equipped with a control box 6 and the like.

The main body 2 is formed into a rectangular frame shape in a plan view by bolting or welding an aluminum square pipe in a grid pattern in the vertical and horizontal directions, and the inner surfaces of the left and right side surfaces 2a, the back surface 2b, and the upper surface 2d are white. PVC boards are attached to each. The vinyl chloride plate on the upper surface 2d can be attached to and detached from the main body 2 in a state where it is placed on the upper surface 2d of the main body 2 without being fixed, that is, the upper surface 2d of the main body 2 can be opened.

Further, two doors 2c1 are arranged in a double door shape on the front surface 2c of the main body 2, and the pair of doors 2c1 are also formed of a white vinyl chloride plate on the inner surface like the left and right side surfaces 2a and the upper surface 2d described above. At the same time, handles 2c2 are attached to the ends on the anti-rotating shaft side. When the pair of doors 2c1 is closed, the open side end is attracted to the front surface 2a of the main body 2 by a magnet or the like (not shown), and the front surface 2c is maintained in a substantially closed state. As a result, the left and right side surfaces 2a, the back surface 2b, the front surface 2c, and the upper surface 2d of the main body have their inner surfaces white and have a light reflecting function.

Then, each cultivation tray 3 and the tank 5a of the irrigation device 5 described later are connected to one end side in the longitudinal direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 1) of each cultivation tray 3 arranged in the main body 2. A space for arranging the pipe 5c for the purpose is formed, and an open space is formed below the first-stage cultivation tray 3 which is the lowermost stage. Due to these spaces, the internal space of the main body 2 is not sealed and communicates with the outside air. Casters 7 as a moving mechanism are detachably arranged at the four corners of the lower end of the main body 2, and the seedling raising machine 1 (main body 2) can be moved by the rotation of the casters 7.

The cultivation tray 3 attached to a predetermined square pipe of the main body 2 as shown in FIG. 3 is formed as shown in FIG. That is, the cultivation tray 3 is made of a durable FRP whose inner surface is finished with a gel coat and has a smooth surface, and is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view. On one end side, a recess 3b having substantially the same depth is integrally formed over the entire area in the front-rear direction (width direction). For example, a hole 3b1 for a water supply / drainage port having a diameter of 35 mm and a hole 3b2 for an overflow port having a diameter of 28 mm are bored on the front and rear end sides of the recess 3b. A predetermined pipe is connected to each of these holes 3b1 and 3b2 as described later.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, the bottom surface 3c connected to the recess 3b of the cultivation tray 3 is formed by a gently inclined surface in which one end side (recessed portion 3b side) in the longitudinal direction is lower than the other end side. At the position substantially corresponding to the holes 3b1 and 3b2 of the recess 3b, two convex 3c1 having a smooth surface whose upper surface has a semicircular arc shape is formed along the longitudinal direction of the tray 3. It is integrally formed in a parallel state. As shown in FIG. 9, in this cultivation tray 3, for example, the front and rear (or left and right) end flanges 3a are placed on a fixing plate 9 provided on a lateral square pipe at a predetermined position on the upper part of the main body 2. It is detachably arranged on the main body 2 by being fixed with a bolt or a bolt or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the seedling raising tray 10 and the plug tray 11 are housed and arranged on the bottom surface 3c of the cultivation tray 3. The seedling raising tray 10 has a rectangular shape in a plan view having a height of, for example, about 35 mm by resin molding, and has a flange portion on the entire outer circumference and a large number of small holes on the bottom surface. Further, the plug tray 11 housed and placed in the seedling raising tray 10 is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view having a size that can be accommodated on the bottom surface of the seedling raising tray 10, and its height is, for example, about 40 mm. It has a large number of pot portions (connecting pots) formed in a quadrangular pyramid or conical shape with holes on the bottom surface and an open top surface.

Further, a hydrophilic sheet 12 (see FIG. 7) is interposed between the seedling raising tray 10 and the plug tray 11. That is, a hydrophilic sheet 12 larger than the plug tray 11 is placed on the bottom surface of the seedling raising tray 10, and the plug tray 11 is placed on the hydrophilic sheet 12. The hydrophilic sheet 12 may be a material that pumps water by capillarity and does not allow the roots of seedlings to pass through, and for example, paper or cloth is used.

Then, the seedling raising tray 10, the hydrophilic sheet 12, and the plug tray 11 are sown in each pot portion of the plug tray 11 in a state where they are integrated, and this is sown in the cultivation tray 3 of the main body 2 from the front side. By inserting and accommodating and arranging on the bottom surface 3c, it is set in the cultivation tray 3.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of seedling raising trays 10 and the like (three in this embodiment) are housed and arranged in parallel in each cultivation tray 3, and the seedling raising trays 10 and the like are taken in and out of each cultivation tray 3. However, it is possible to hold the front and rear and left and right side collars of the seedling raising tray 10 by hand. Further, for example, each of the three seedling raising trays 10 set in a parallel state is arranged on the anti-recessed portion 3b side of the cultivation tray 3, so that the bottom surface of each seedling raising tray 10 is other than the recessed portion 3b of the cultivation tray 3. Located on 3c, the bottom surface of each nursery tray 10 can be intermittently irrigated.

The LED lighting device 4 has a plurality of (6 in FIG. 2) LED lighting tubes 4a arranged along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation tray 3 above a predetermined height of the cultivation tray 3. .. The LED lighting tube 4a is formed of a glass tube whose irradiation direction is transparent at least, and a long substrate (not shown) in which an LED lighting circuit, a pattern for mounting an LED, or the like is formed inside the glass tube. ) Is arranged. Then, LEDs of a predetermined color are soldered to the pattern of the substrate.

At this time, the LEDs used are two colors (two types) of "red" and "blue mixed color" that are effective for raising seedlings of vegetables, have a long life, and save power, and these two color LEDs are the length of the substrate. By arranging them in a line along the direction, for example, one by one or one by one alternately, a mixed color LED illumination light suitable for raising vegetable seedlings can be obtained.

Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the LED lighting device 4 is a square pipe supporting the cultivation tray 3 of the main body 2 (in the case of the lower cultivation tray 3) or a square pipe on the upper surface 2d of the main body 2 (top cultivation). It is attached to the lighting mounting plate 14 fixed horizontally by bolts 13a, double nuts 13b, etc. on the lower surface side of the tray 3). A plurality of LED lighting tubes 4a are attached to the lighting mounting plate 14 by fixing the fixing portion 18b and the fixing portion 18b of the fixing plate 18 having the holding portions 18a that sandwich the substantially both side surfaces of the LED lighting tubes 4a. , Are arranged parallel and horizontally with the same spacing.

Further, since the lighting mounting plate 14 is fixed to the square pipe of the main body 2 by a long bolt 13a and a double nut 13b, the position of the double nut 13b can be adjusted in the longitudinal (upper and lower) direction of the bolt 13a. The height position of the lighting mounting plate 14 is adjusted so that the distance (height dimension) between the LED lighting tube 4a and the cultivation tray 3, that is, the irradiation distance of the LED lighting light can be adjusted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the irrigation device 5 has a tank 5a and a pump 5b arranged at the lower end of the main body 2, a pipe 5c and the like connecting these to each cultivation tray 3. The tank 5a is formed of a resin tank capable of storing a predetermined amount (for example, 75 liters) of water, and is mounted on a predetermined square pipe on the bottom surface of the main body 2. Further, the pump 5b is attached to a square pipe on the side of the tank 5a. For example, an amphibious centrifugal pump is used by a magnet drive method, and the impeller is rotated by a magnetic force in the pump chamber during operation to suck water from the suction side. It is designed to be sent to the discharge side.

Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the tank 5a and the pump 5b are connected to each cultivation tray 3 by the pipe 5c. That is, the bottom surface side of one side surface of the tank 5a and the suction port of the pump 5b are connected by the hose 5c1, and the discharge port of the pump 5b is connected to the cheese 5c2 corresponding to the first-stage cultivation tray 3 by the hose 5c1. The cheese 5c2 is connected to the elbow 5c4 corresponding to the second-stage cultivation tray 3 by a straight pipe 5c3 of vinyl chloride. The cheese 5c2 and the elbow 5c4 are connected to the water supply / drainage port 15 of each cultivation tray 3 via a compact valve 5c5, a union joint elbow 5c6, and the like.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the lower end of the overflow pipe 16 projecting upward by a predetermined dimension (dimension defining the overflow position) into the recess 3b of the cultivation tray 3 in the overflow hole 3b2 of each cultivation tray 3. Are connected respectively. The lower end of the overflow pipe 16 is connected to the upper part of the tank 5a via a plurality of elbows 5c4, straight pipes 5c3, cheese 5c2, and the like.

Of the pipes 5c connected to the cultivation trays 3, pipes 5c such as elbows 5c4, straight pipes 5c3, and cheese 5c2, which are connected to the water supply / drainage ports 15 of the cultivation trays 3, are attached to the cultivation trays 3. By setting the position as low as possible with respect to the provided recess 3a, the water supply pipe 5c can also be used for drainage, that is, it can be used for both water supply and drainage. Further, the tank 5a has a lid arranged at the opening on the upper surface thereof, a lower end of the pipe 5c connected to the overflow pipe 16, and a hose used for supplying tap water into the tank 5a (not shown). ) Is inserted and arranged, and a drain pipe 17 having a drain cock is connected to the bottom surface of the tank 5a.

With the configuration of the pipe 5c, a predetermined amount of water supplied into the tank 5a is pumped up by the operation of the pump 5b and supplied (irrigated) into each cultivation tray 3 from the water supply / drainage port 15 of each cultivation tray 3. At the same time, the water overflowing from each cultivation tray 3 is returned to the tank 5a via the overflow pipe 16 of each cultivation tray 3. Further, when the operation of the pump 5b is stopped when water is supplied for a predetermined time and the cultivation tray 3 is no longer required to be irrigated, the water in each cultivation tray 3 is supplied or drained from the water supply / drain port 15 due to the water pressure or the like. It will be returned to the pipe 5c and the pump 5b.

As for the drainage at this time, the water in the recess 3b of the cultivation tray 3 is first discharged, and then the water on the bottom surface 3c of the cultivation tray 3 is guided to the recess 3b using the inclined surface and drained from the water supply / drainage port 15. Will be done. Therefore, for example, drainage (water discharge) of the bottom surface 3c of each cultivation tray 3 in which three seedling raising trays 10 are arranged in parallel can be satisfactorily performed, and root rot of each seedling raising tray 10 can be prevented. Become.

A blower fan 19 as a blower is arranged at a position corresponding to each cultivation tray 3 in the main body 2. The blower fan 19 has a predetermined height (for example, the height from the upper surface of the cultivation tray 3) on the upper surface of the square pipe of the main body 2 on one end side in the longitudinal direction of each cultivation tray 3 via the L metal fitting 20 (see FIG. 4). Is fixed at 70 mm to 80 mm), and a predetermined amount of wind (amount that can remove water from the leaves of the seedlings being raised) is blown onto the seedling raising tray 10 and the plug tray 11 placed on each cultivation tray 3. It is designed to blow air.

As shown in FIG. 4, the control box 6 has a lighting timer 21, a water supply timer 22, a terminal block 23 for relay, and the like, each of which is composed of a digital timer. The lighting timer 21 is connected to the AC100V plug 24 as a power source via the terminal block 23, and is also connected to each LED lighting tube 4a of the LED lighting device 4 via a connector 25, a plug 26, or the like having an appropriate shape. .. Further, the water supply timer 22 is connected to the AC100V plug 24 via the terminal block 23, and is also connected to the pump 5b via the connector 25, the plug 26, and the like. Further, each of the blower fans 19 is also connected to the AC100V plug 24 via the connector 25, the plug 26, the terminal block 23, and the like. That is, the lighting device 14, the pump 5b, the blower fan 19, and the like can be operated with a commercial power supply of AC100V.

Next, an example of a vegetable cultivation method using such a seedling raising machine 1 will be described. First, when the seedling raising machine 1 is brought into a farmhouse from a store or the like, it is necessary to move it to a warehouse or greenhouse where a commercial AC100V power supply can be used by using the casters 7 provided at the lower four corners of the seedling raising machine 1. Depending on the situation, the caster 7 is removed at the installation location to lower the height of the seedling raising machine 1, or the stopper of the caster 7 is operated to prohibit the rotation of the caster 7.

Then, the seedlings are sown in each pot portion of the plug tray 11 placed on the seedling raising tray 10 via the hydrophilic sheet 12. This sowing prepares the seeds and soil of the vegetables to be raised. As the hilling at this time, commercially available hilling such as peat moss may be used as it is, but a hilling exclusively for raising seedlings in which a predetermined amount of fertilizer such as nitrogen, phosphoric acid or potassium is mixed with the commercially available hilling is used. It is preferable to use it. While accommodating a predetermined amount of the seedling raising soil in each pot portion of the plug tray 11, one or a plurality of seeds are manually or automatically sown in the soil at a predetermined depth position.

Then, in a state where the plug tray 11 for which seeding has been completed is integrated with the seedling raising tray 10 and the hydrophilic sheet 12, from the front surface 2c side of the seedling raising machine 1 in which the door 2c1 is open, other than the recess 3b of the predetermined cultivation tray 3 It is housed on the bottom surface 3c. At this time, when the lower surface of the rear end of the seedling raising tray 11 is placed on the flange portion 3a at the front end of the outer peripheral edge of the cultivation tray 3 and pushed backward, the lower surface of the seedling raising tray 11 has a two-row convex shape on the bottom surface 3c of the cultivation tray. The seedling raising tray 10 and the plug tray 11 and the like can be easily accommodated and arranged in the cultivation tray 3 by smoothly sliding while contacting the smooth upper surface having a substantially semi-arc shape in cross section of 3c1.

When the seedling raising tray 10 and the plug tray 11 integrated in each cultivation tray 3 of the main body 2 are set (accommodated), the door 2c1 is closed and the AC100V plug 24 connected to the control box 6 is used as a commercial AC100V outlet. Connect to activate the timers 21 and 22 respectively. When the lighting timer 21 and the water supply timer 22 are activated, the timers 21 and 22 are turned on and off at preset lighting times and water supply times according to the type of vegetables to be raised.

At this time, the lighting timer 21 is set to repeat turning on (lighting) for 8 hours and turning off (turning off) for 4 hours, for example. Further, the water supply timer 22 is set so that uniform water supply can be performed over the entire bottom surface of the plug tray 11 by the bottom surface intermittent irrigation method, with the water supply time being about 10 minutes once to three times a day. The water supply time may be adjusted and set as necessary by adjusting the set time of the digital water supply timer 22 while visually checking the dry state of the seedling raising tray 10.

Further, the blower fan 19 is turned on (rotated) at the same time as the power is supplied to the seedling raising machine 1, and a predetermined amount of air is blown onto the seedling raising tray 10 to remove water and the like adhering to the leaves of the seedlings. Is set to. At this time, if the blower blown by the blower fan 19 is too strong, the seedlings and the soil will be dried, so that a breeze (breeze) is set to flow at a predetermined position above the seedlings. The operation of the blower fan 19 is not limited to constant operation, and of course, it is possible to visually check the growth of seedlings or to provide a separate timer to operate the fan 19 at a predetermined timing. Further, it is preferable to set the height position of the LED lighting device 14 as described above according to the type of vegetables to be raised in advance.

During such seedling raising, the amount of water supplied (irrigated) into the cultivation tray 3 is fixed and the number of times per day is appropriately set according to the type of vegetables, so that root rot due to excessive water supply. Since the hydrophilic sheet 12 is interposed between the seedling raising tray 10 and the plug tray 11, it is possible to prevent the roots extending downward from the hole on the bottom surface of the plug tray 11 from entering the seedling raising sheet 10. The plug tray 11 after raising seedlings can be easily removed from the seedling raising tray 10 without damaging the roots of the seedlings.

Then, when the size of the seedlings raised has become predetermined, the integrated seedling raising tray 10 and the like are taken out from the seedling raising machine 1 in the reverse procedure of the above-mentioned setting, and then the plug tray 11 is taken out from the seedling raising tray 10. The seedling raising work is completed at this time, and each seedling in each pot portion of the plug tray 11 can be planted (transplanted) on the ground in a greenhouse, for example.

The seeds of leafy vegetables such as lettuce were raised with the LED lighting of the LED lighting device 4 as PPFD 200 μmol / m ² s and the conditions for turning on / off the lights and water supply as described above. It has been confirmed that the seedling raising period is significantly shortened as compared with the case of raising seedlings on the ground in a conventional greenhouse, as the seedling raising period is completed in about 14 days while the various types are surely germinated. The reason is that the above-mentioned seedling raising soil containing fertilizer is used, the bottom surface intermittent irrigation method enables uniform water supply to the entire bottom surface of the plug tray 11, and there is no uneven growth. It is conceivable that stable cultivation can be achieved by using the mixed color LED illumination light, and that proper ventilation is performed by the blower fan 19.

As described above, according to the seedling raising machine 1, the irrigation device 5 has a water supply / drainage port 15 provided on the bottom surface of the recess 3b, which is the deepest part of the cultivation tray 3, a pump 5a connected to the water supply / drainage port 15, and a pump 5a. It has a tank 5b and the like connected to, and depending on the operating state of the pump 5a, water in the tank 5b is supplied to the cultivation tray 3 via the water supply / drainage port 15, and water in the cultivation tray 3 is supplied to the water supply / drainage port. Since the water is discharged to the pipe 5c and the pump 5a via the 15, the water supply / drainage port 15 can be used for both water supply and drainage, the irrigation device 5 can be simplified, it can be easily installed even by a general farmer, and the seedling raising work can be automated. While improving work efficiency, it is possible to grow strong seedlings that can adapt to the local environment in a short period of time, and it is possible to easily respond to natural disasters.

In particular, the pump 5b is composed of an amphibious centrifugal pump, is arranged at a position substantially the same height as the bottom surface of the tank 5a, and the irrigation device 5 is provided with respect to the water supply / drainage port 15 provided in the recess 3b of the cultivation tray 3. Since the water supply / drainage pipe 5c is arranged at a position lower than a predetermined dimension, the irrigation device 5 can be further simplified while maximizing the characteristics of the pump 5b used.

Further, since the overflow pipe 16 that opens at a position higher than the water supply / drainage port 15 is arranged in the recess 3b of the cultivation tray 3, a predetermined amount is provided over the entire bottom surface of the seedling raising tray 10 housed in the cultivation tray 3 at the time of irrigation. A stable supply of water can be maintained, and the efficiency of raising seedlings can be improved. Further, since the water supply / drainage port 3b is provided on the bottom surface of the recess 3b provided on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation tray 3, the water supply / drainage port 15 of the recess 3b with all the water in the cultivation tray 3 as the deepest portion is surely provided. In addition to being able to drain water, water can be reliably supplied to the cultivation tray 3 only during the time when water supply is required, and the seedling raising efficiency can be further improved.

Further, since the integrated seedling raising tray 10, the hydrophilic sheet 12, and the plug tray 11 are arranged on the cultivation tray 3 so that they can be taken in and out, the seedling raising tray 10 in which the hydrophilic sheet 12 and the plug sheet 11 are integrated is cultivated. It can be easily set and taken out using the flange 3a and convex 3c1 of the tray 3, and the use of the hydrophilic sheet 12 prevents the roots of the seedlings from overstretching, entanglement, root rot, etc., and is of high quality. Can grow seedlings

Further, by opening at least the lower part of the main body 2, an unsealed space that communicates with the outside air is formed in the main body 2, and the removable casters 7 arranged at the lower part of the main body 2 are movable. Therefore, it is possible to provide an inexpensive and easy-to-use seedling raising machine 1 by making the configuration of the seedling raising machine 1 itself extremely simple without the need for a building structure or an air conditioner, and the rotation of the caster 7 makes it possible to provide the main body. 2 can be easily moved and installed in a predetermined place such as in a warehouse or a house, or the height of the main body 2 can be lowered according to the height of the worker by removing the caster 7 as needed at the installation place. The usability of the seedling raising machine 1 can be improved, for example, the opening and closing work of the door 2c1 on the front surface 2c of the main body 2 can be easily performed.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the following incidental effects can be obtained. That is, since the blower fan 19 capable of blowing air in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation tray 3 is arranged in the upper space of the cultivation tray 3 in the main body 2, water and the like of the leaves of the seedlings growing by blowing air are removed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the outbreak of diseases of seedlings and to grow high-quality seedlings. Further, since the left and right side surfaces 2a, the upper surface 2d, the back surface 2b, and the inner surfaces of the door 2c1 of the main body 2 are set to white and have a light reflecting function, the LED illumination light emitted from the LED illumination device 4 is directed toward the cultivation tray 3. It can be reflected, the irradiation efficiency of the illumination light can be improved, the growth of seedlings can be promoted, and stable seedlings can be grown.

Further, in the LED lighting device 4, a plurality of two-color LEDs of red and blue are arranged in a row in a predetermined form in the LED lighting tube 4a, and a plurality of the LED lighting tubes 4a are arranged in the front-rear direction of the cultivation tray 3. Since the rows (6 rows) are arranged to obtain a predetermined irradiation amount, uniform LED illumination light suitable for seedling raising is spread over the entire cultivation tray 3 (seedling raising tray 10) while reducing the power consumption of the LED lighting device 4. As a result, the stable growth of seedlings can be further promoted.

Further, since the LED lighting device 4 and the irrigation device 5 are automatically turned on and off according to the set time of the lighting timer 21 and the water supply timer 22, both devices 4 and 5 are turned on individually or in association with each of the timers 21 and 22. -By turning it off, light irradiation and irrigation can be automatically performed according to the type of vegetables, and the seedling raising work can be fully automated.

Furthermore, the structure of the seedling raising machine 1 itself is simple. For example, since the front surface 2c of the main body 2 can be opened by a pair of doors 2c1 and the cultivation tray 3 is made of FRP and is removable, the seedling raising in the main body 2 is possible. The maintenance of the seedling raising machine 1 can be easily performed, such as easy cleaning of related parts, and it can also contribute to the prevention of diseases of the seedlings to be raised. Further, since the structure of the control box 6 is simple, the seedling raising machine 1 can be easily operated even by an elderly person or the like of a general farmer.

For these reasons, even general vegetable growers, etc., who have traditionally had difficulty in mechanizing the seedling raising work, can mechanize the seedling raising work while minimizing capital investment costs by installing the seedling raising machine 1. By (automating), it becomes possible to reduce the work load of workers, and it can be expected to have a great effect for farmers who have a serious shortage of successors and workers.

10 to 12 show other embodiments (modifications) of the seedling raising machine according to the present invention. The feature of the seedling raising machine 1 of this embodiment is that the seedling raising machine 1 is a "two-stage type" while the seedling raising machine 1 is a "three-stage type", and the same parts as those of the embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals. It will be explained with reference to. That is, three cultivation trays 30 having a shape different from that of the cultivation tray 3 are arranged in three stages in the vertical direction on the main body 2, and the LED lighting device 4 is arranged at a predetermined height position above each cultivation tray 30. ing.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 12, the cultivation tray 30 has a pair of convex 30b integrally formed on the bottom surface 30a in a parallel state at both ends in the front-rear direction, and one end in the longitudinal direction between the convex 30b. A shallow recess 30c is integrally formed, which is narrow on the side (right side in FIG. 12) and gradually widens toward the other end. Further, the bottom surface of the recess 30d formed in the width direction on the other end side of the bottom surface 30a in the longitudinal direction is formed so that the central portion is low and becomes the deepest portion 30e, and both sides thereof are inclined surfaces 30f. ..

By locating the ends of the recess 30c on both sides of the deepest portion 30e of the recess 30d, the water in the bottom surface 30a of the cultivation tray 30 is efficiently guided to the deepest portion 30e of the recess 30d. .. In the cultivation tray 30, the water supply / drainage port 15 and the overflow pipe 16 are provided in the holes 30d1 and 30d2 provided in the deepest part of the recess 30d as in the embodiment. Since other configurations are basically the same as those of the above-described embodiment, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the seedling raising machine 1 of this embodiment, in addition to obtaining the same effects as those of the above embodiment, the number of seedlings that can be raised at the same time can be increased by increasing the number of storage stages of the cultivation tray 3 by one. The two recesses 30c and 30d in the cultivation tray 30 improve the drainage of the bottom surface 30a, increase the size of the cultivation tray 30, and increase the number of seedling raising trays 10 and the like accommodated in the cultivation tray 30, that is, at one time. Even when the number of seedlings that can be raised is increased, the effect of preventing root rot and the like can be obtained. As described above, the number and shape of the cultivation trays 3 and 30 installed in the main body 2 can be appropriately changed according to various environments of the installation location and the like.

In the above embodiment, the number of LED lighting tubes of the LED lighting device, the parts used for the piping and their connection forms, the form and size of the cultivation tray, the seedling raising tray, and the plug tray are examples, for example, a piping pump. As appropriate, such as using a pump of an appropriate form other than the pump 5b of the above embodiment, providing a power switch for operating each timer or the like in the control box, etc., as long as the gist of each invention related to the present invention is not deviated. Can be changed to.

The present invention can be used not only for raising vegetable seedlings but also for raising seedlings such as fruits.

1 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Seedling raising machine 2 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Main body 3, 30 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Cultivation tray 3b, 30c, 30d ・ ・・ Recessed 3c, 30a ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Bottom surface 3c1, 30b ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Convex 4 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ LED lighting device 4a ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・・ ・ LED lighting tube 5 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Irrigation device 5a ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Tank 5b ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Pump 5c ・ ・ ・・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Piping 6 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Control box 7 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Caster 10 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・Raising seedling tray 11 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Plug tray 12 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Hydrophilic sheet 14 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Lighting mounting plate 15 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Water supply / drainage port 16 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Overflow pipe 17 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・Fan 21 ·······································································・ ・ ・ ・ ・ AC100V plug

Claims (6)

A main body formed in a plan view shape having left and right side surfaces, an upper surface and a back surface, and a front surface formed by an openable door, a cultivation tray arranged horizontally inside the main body, and the cultivation tray. An LED lighting device arranged above a predetermined distance of the above and an irrigation device capable of supplying water into the cultivation tray are provided.
The irrigation device has a pump connected to a water supply / drainage port provided at the deepest part of the cultivation tray and a tank connected to the pump, and the water in the tank is charged according to the operating state of the pump. A seedling raising machine characterized in that it is supplied into the cultivation tray through the water supply / drainage port and the water in the cultivation tray is discharged through the water supply / drainage port. The pump is composed of an amphibious centrifugal pump, is arranged at a position substantially the same height as the bottom surface of the tank, and is used for water supply and drainage of the irrigation system to a water supply and drainage port provided at the deepest part of the cultivation tray. The seedling raising machine according to claim 1, wherein the pipes are arranged at a position lower than a predetermined dimension. The seedling raising machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an overflow pipe that opens above the water supply / drainage port is provided at a predetermined position of the cultivation tray. The seedling raising machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the water supply / drainage port is provided on the bottom surface of a recess as the deepest portion formed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation tray. The seedling raising machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an integrated seedling raising tray, a hydrophilic sheet, and a plug tray are accommodated and arranged on the bottom surface of the cultivation tray. The main body is characterized in that an unsealed space that communicates with the outside air is formed in the main body by opening at least the lower part thereof, and the main body is movable by a moving mechanism arranged in the lower part of the main body. The seedling raising machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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