JP2023086912A - Cylindrical body for plant hydroponics, hydroponics unit, and hydroponics system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cylindrical body for plant hydroponics which makes it possible to suppress partial deviation of flow rate or speed of fluid in a cultivation cylinder, and suppress variation of plant growth to improve cultivation yield.SOLUTION: A cylindrical body for plant hydroponics includes: a main flow cylindrical part 10 which has a flow pass FP through which liquid required for plant cultivation flows inside thereof, and communicates with the flow pass FP, and on a side wall of which an opening 30 for allowing the liquid to flow in or flow out is formed; and a first water leading part 50 which guides at least a part of the liquid flowing through the flow pass FP toward a circumferential direction on an inner wall of the main flow cylindrical part 10. Furthermore, the first water leading part 50 has a first guide surface 52 extending from an inner wall of the main flow cylindrical part 10, and the first guide surface 52 crosses the inner wall at an angle α for the center line CL of the main flow cylindrical part 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a hydroponics technique for cultivating plants, and more particularly, a tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants for suppressing bias in the flow rate and speed of a liquid such as water passing through the interior, It relates to a hydroponic cultivation unit and a hydroponic cultivation system including the same.

Conventionally, a method called vertical hydroponics is known, in which plants are cultivated by arranging them in the direction of gravity, that is, in the vertical direction. According to this plant cultivation method, plants are cultivated in a state in which they are arranged vertically or diagonally via rods, plates, etc., so it is possible to cultivate plants using a building with a relatively small area. be.

International Publication 2018/181848 Japanese Patent No. 6412136

In the above-described vertical hydroponic system, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a plurality of planting members having openings for planting plants are alternately placed on the left and right sides of a pipe-shaped cultivation cylinder that is vertically erected. installed. A liquid such as water containing nutrients flows through the cultivation tube, and the plant planted in the planting member grows in the opening of the planting member for several months until harvest.

Here, in the case of a leafy vegetable or the like, it is preferable that the growth speed of each planted plant is the same in the plurality of planting members as described above, from the viewpoint of reducing the labor of harvesting by harvesting at once. is preferred.
Even with vegetables such as fruit vegetables that are harvested in order of maturity, insufficient supply of water and nutrients to the plants should be avoided. It is preferable from the point of

However, in the field of conventional plant cultivation, due to various factors such as the inclination of the pipe-shaped cultivation cylinder set up in the vertical direction and the difference in the size and growth speed of each growing plant, the pipe-shaped cultivation cylinder It was observed that the flow rate and velocity of the liquid flowing inside were uneven.
These deviations in flow rates and velocities have caused problems such as variations in the growth rate of individual plants and an unintended slowdown in the growth rate of plants.

In order to solve the above-described problem, for example, a means is assumed in which a passage for guiding water is formed on the inner wall of the cultivation tube so as to avoid the vertical drop of the liquid flowing through the inside of the cultivation tube. be able to.
For example, Patent Literature 2 discloses a conduit means for guiding a fluid inside a container for cultivating plants. However, in such a technique, since the shape is complicated, there are problems such as high manufacturing cost and troublesome cleaning.

The present invention has been made in view of one example of solving such problems, and it is intended to suppress unevenness in the flow rate and speed of liquid flowing in a pipe-shaped cultivation tube, thereby improving the cultivation yield of plants. An object of the present invention is to provide a tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants, a hydroponic cultivation unit, and a hydroponic cultivation system.

In order to solve the above problems, a tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to an embodiment of the present invention has (1) a channel through which a liquid necessary for plant cultivation flows, and communicates with the channel. a main tubular portion having a side wall formed with an opening for the inflow or outflow of the liquid ; a first water conveying portion that guides the flow to swirl along the inner wall ; the first water conveying portion has a first guide surface extending from the inner wall of the main tubular portion; 1 guide surface intersects the inner wall at an angle α with respect to the center line of the main tubular portion.
In addition, a tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to an embodiment of the present invention has (2) a channel in which a liquid necessary for plant cultivation flows, and communicates with the channel to allow the liquid to flow into the tube. Alternatively, a main tubular portion having a side wall formed with an opening for outflow, and a branch portion that guides at least part of the liquid flowing through the flow path in the longitudinal direction on the inner wall of the main tubular portion. the opening of the main tubular portion is provided with a liquid inflow tubular portion for detachably receiving a water receiving member for receiving supply of the liquid; and the branch portion is an inner wall of the fluid inflow tubular portion. characterized by being formed on the

Further, in the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment, in (1) above, (3) at least a part of the liquid flowing through the flow path is removed from the inner wall of the main tubular portion by It further includes a second water conveying portion guiding in a circumferential direction opposite to the first water conveying portion, the second water conveying portion having a second guide surface extending from an inner wall of the main tubular portion, and the second water conveying portion Preferably, the guide surface intersects the inner wall at an angle β with respect to the centerline of the main tubular portion.

Further, in the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment, in (3) above, ( 4 ) the angles α and β are preferably 30° to 90°.

In the above (3) or (4), the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment includes (5) a first vertical convex portion erected from an end of the first guide surface, and the second vertical convex portion. It is preferable to further have a second vertical projection standing from the end of the guide surface.

The tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment is characterized in that, in (3) above, ( 6 ) the angle α and the angle β are 90° to 150°, and are erected from the end of the first guide surface It is preferable to further have a first vertical projection and a second vertical projection standing from the end of the second guide surface.

In any one of (1) , (3) to (6) above, the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment is characterized in that (7) the opening of the main tubular portion is supplied with the liquid. It is preferable that the liquid inflow cylinder part is further provided for detachably receiving the water receiving member, and that the liquid inflow cylinder part has a branch part for diverting the liquid on the inner wall thereof.

In the above ( 2 ), the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment is characterized in that: A guiding first water conveying portion is included, the first water conveying portion has a first guide surface extending from the inner wall of the main tubular portion, and the branching portion and the first water conveying portion are continuous via a spaced portion. It is preferable that at least part of the liquid split by the branching portion is guided in the circumferential direction of the main tubular portion by the first guide surface.

In the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment, in (7) above, (9) the branch portion provided on the inner wall of the liquid inflow tubular portion is the opening in the inner wall of the liquid inflow tubular portion. It is preferable to have a tapered portion in which the width in the circumferential direction gradually narrows from the side toward the water receiving member.

Further, in order to solve the above problems, a hydroponic cultivation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: (10) a tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to any one of the above (1) to (9); a planting member removably attached to the opening and having a planting opening for planting a plant.

In order to solve the above problems, a hydroponic cultivation system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes (11) the hydroponic cultivation unit according to (10) above, and a suspension support mechanism that supports the hydroponic cultivation unit. and a liquid supply system for supplying necessary liquid to plants planted on the planting member of the hydroponic cultivation unit.

According to the present invention, in the interior of the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants, the first water conveying portion is provided for guiding the liquid flowing through the flow path in the circumferential direction, and the first water conveying portion is provided with a predetermined a first guide surface that intersects the inner wall at an angle of . As a result, partial bias in the flow rate and speed of the fluid in the cultivation tube is suppressed, and the problem of uneven plant growth and unintentional slowdown of plant growth is suppressed, and the cultivation yield is improved. can be made

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the tubular body 100 for plant hydroponic cultivation which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the tubular body 100 for plant hydroponic cultivation which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the tubular body 100 for plant hydroponic cultivation which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the tubular body 100 for plant hydroponic cultivation which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the tubular body 100 for plant hydroponic cultivation which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the tubular body 100 for plant hydroponic cultivation which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the tubular body 100 for plant hydroponic cultivation which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the tubular body 100 for plant hydroponic cultivation which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a mimetic diagram showing hydroponic cultivation unit 200 concerning one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a water receiving member WP in this embodiment; 4 is a schematic diagram showing a guide cylinder 90 in this embodiment. FIG. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the sealing mechanism between the opening 30 and the planting member 80 in this embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the hydroponic cultivation system 300 in this embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments for suitably carrying out the present invention will be described with appropriate use of the drawings. In each figure, the Z direction is the direction of gravity, the X direction is the direction in which the fluid flows into the channel from the water receiving member in the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants, and the Y direction is the direction orthogonal to the Z direction and the X direction. was defined for convenience. However, these orientations are for convenience of explanation and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention.

For configurations other than those described in detail below, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-120846 and the hydroponic cultivation system described in Patent Document 1 may be referred to as appropriate.

[Cylindrical body 100 for hydroponics of plants]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a cross section of a tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to this embodiment. As shown in the figure, a tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants includes a main tubular portion 10 . Further, in the main tubular portion 10, a flow path FP through which a liquid necessary for plant cultivation (liquid containing nutrients and water) flows is formed so as to extend in the inner Z direction.
Here, the above-described liquid may be water, or a liquid obtained by mixing fertilizer and nutrients with water.

An opening 30 communicating with the flow path FP is formed in a part of the side wall of the main tubular portion 10, and the liquid can flow in or out. In addition, it is also possible to attach and detach a liquid inflow tubular portion 20 described later and a planting member 80 for planting a plant to the opening 30 .
Although the cylindrical body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants of the present embodiment is described as an example of a split body that can be connected in the drawings, it is not limited to this, and may be integrally formed.
In addition, the shape of members such as the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants, the main tubular portion 10, and the later-described cultivation tube 70 of the present embodiment is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and a flow path through which liquid flows is formed. The cross section may be polygonal or the like as long as it is possible.

The tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment is preferably molded by an injection molding method or the like from the viewpoint of suppressing leakage of liquids to be circulated and from the viewpoint of cost reduction. Materials for these members are not particularly limited, but polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS resin, or polyvinyl chloride, for example, can be applied. Also, the member may partially contain a different material, for example, the member may be formed of a material having water retentivity such as a non-woven fabric.
In addition, each member is not particularly limited in the color to be colored, and may be uncolored, but it is preferably colored, and it is more preferable to use white, pearl tone, etc. from the viewpoint of improving reflectance. .
Further, an ultraviolet absorber or ultraviolet scattering agent may be added to the resin to improve weather resistance, or an additive such as an antibacterial agent may be added to the resin to improve antifouling properties.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 is preferably formed with a first water guide portion 50 for guiding at least part of the flowing liquid. The first water guide portion 50 is a convex portion that causes the liquid to flow down along the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 in a spiral shape in the circumferential direction.

That is, the first water guiding portion 50 has a first guide surface 52 extending from the inner wall of the main tubular portion toward the center of the tubular portion, as shown in FIG. It is preferable that the liquid flows down in a spiral in the circumferential direction by flowing the water on the first guide surface 52 .
As shown in FIG. 1, the first guide surface 52 preferably intersects the inner wall at an angle α with respect to the center line of the main tubular portion.

The angle α is not particularly limited as long as it is an angle at which water flows on the first guide surface 52 . For example, the angle α may be an elevation angle as shown in FIG. 1(a). In this case, the angle α is specifically about 30° to 90°.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the angle α may be an inclination angle, in which case the angle α can be specifically about 90° to 150°.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1B, the first water guiding portion 50 may further include a first vertical projection 53 standing from the end of the first guide surface 52 . In this case, the first flow groove 54 formed by the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10, the first guide surface 52, and the first vertical convex portion 53 guides the liquid along the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 more reliably. Therefore, it is more preferable from the viewpoint of suppressing partial deviation of the flow rate and speed of the liquid flowing through the flow channel FP.
Further, the width and depth of the first flow groove 54 can be changed according to the flow rate and speed of the liquid, and by changing the width and depth of the flow groove, the liquid can be guided more reliably. .

In FIG. 1, when the angle α of the first water guiding portion 50 is an elevation angle, the first vertical convex portion 53 is not formed at the end of the first guide surface 52 (FIG. 1(a)). When the angle α of the first water guide portion 50 is an inclination angle, the first vertical convex portion 53 is formed at the end of the first guide surface 52 (FIG. 1(b)), but the present embodiment is limited to this. not a thing

That is, the angle α of the first water guiding portion 50 may be an elevation angle, and the first vertical protrusion 53 may be formed at the end of the first guide surface 52 .
Also, the angle at which the first vertical protrusion 53 is erected does not have to be strictly vertical, and there is no problem if it has a handrail-like rise to the extent that the above-described first flow groove 54 can be formed.

Alternatively, the first guide surface 52 and the first vertical protrusion 53 may be formed continuously and smoothly, and the cross section may be shaped like a U-shape.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1(c) to 1(e), the cross section of the first water conveying portion 50 may be C-shaped or O-shaped to prevent splashing or overflowing of the liquid passing through the channel. Shapes other than those described above may be used so as to be controllable. In this case, the portion where the liquid flows into the water guide portion can have a structure as shown in FIGS. Moreover, the first water guide portion 50 does not have to be formed integrally with the main tubular portion 10 and may be fixed to the main tubular portion 10 . In addition, it is not necessary to use the same material for the first water conveying portion 50 and the main tubular portion 10, and they may be made of different materials.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 is formed with a first vertical rib 51 for guiding the fluid in the direction of gravity (−Z direction) in addition to the first water guiding portion 50 described above. You may
Although the first vertical rib 51 is formed in combination with the first water guide portion 50 in FIG. 2, the present embodiment is not limited to this aspect. That is, it is possible to control the flow of the liquid by forming the first vertical rib 51 above or below the planting member opening in the same manner as the guide tube rib 91 without forming the first water guide portion 50 . .

In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a second water conduit 60 may be formed in addition to the first water conduit 50 described above. As shown in FIG. 2, the second water guiding portion 60 guides at least part of the liquid flowing through the flow path FP in the circumferential direction opposite to the first water guiding portion 50 on the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10. It is preferable to be

That is, as shown in FIG. 2, when viewed from above, the first water guiding portion 50 guides the liquid clockwise in the circumferential direction, and the second water guiding portion 60 guides the liquid counterclockwise in the circumferential direction. is preferred. The angle (peripheral angle) for guiding the liquid is not particularly limited. It is preferable from the viewpoint of suppressing bias.

As for the configuration of the second water conveying portion 60 , it is preferable to have a second guide surface 62 extending from the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 like the first water conveying portion 50 . The second guide surface 62 preferably intersects the inner wall at an angle β with respect to the center line CL of the main tubular portion 10 .

The angle β may be an elevation angle of about 30 to 90° or an inclination angle of about 90° to 150°, like the angle α. Also, a second vertical protrusion 63 may be formed at the end of the second guide surface 62 to form the second groove circulation groove 64 .

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, when both the first water conveying portion 50 and the second water conveying portion 60 are formed in the main tubular portion 10, the angle α and the angle β may be the same angle or different angles. It may be an angle. Also, the heights (positions in the Z direction) at which the first water conveying portion 50 and the second water conveying portion 60 are provided may be different as shown in FIG. 3, or may be provided at the same position.
Further, like the first water conveying portion 50, the shape of the second water conveying portion 60 may also be C-shaped or O-shaped in cross section. It may be in any other shape. In this case, the portion where the liquid flows into the water guide portion can have a structure as shown in FIGS. Moreover, the second water guide portion 60 does not have to be integrally formed with the main tubular portion 10 and may be fixed to the main tubular portion 10 . In addition, it is not necessary to use the same material for the second water conveying portion 60 and the main tubular portion 10, and they may be made of different materials.

Further, in addition to the above-described second water guiding portion 60, as shown in FIG. 2, a second vertical rib 61 for guiding the fluid in the direction of gravity (-Z direction) may be formed.
Although the second vertical rib 61 is formed in combination with the second water guide portion 60 in FIG. 2, the present embodiment is not limited to this aspect. That is, it is possible to control the flow of the liquid by forming the second vertical rib 61 above or below the planting member opening in the same manner as the guide tube rib 91 without forming the second water guide portion 60. .

Next, an example in which the liquid inflow tubular portion 20 is formed in the opening 30 of the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4 .
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the opening 30 may be formed with a liquid inflow cylinder 20 for supplying liquid.
That is, the opening 30 is connected to the first end portion 201 of the liquid inflow tubular portion 20 . The main tubular portion 10 and the liquid inflow tubular portion 20 may be separately formed and then connected by a known method such as an adhesive agent, or may be integrally formed by injection molding or the like.

Liquid may flow directly into the liquid inflow tube portion 20 from, for example, a water supply or a pump via a hose or the like. More liquid may be supplied.

From the second end portion 202 of the liquid inflow tubular portion 20, the liquid flows toward the first end portion 201 (the X direction in FIG. 1), flows into the main tubular portion 10 from the opening 30, and then flows into the flow path FP. flows in the direction of gravity (-Z direction).

Although the crossing angle θ between the main cylinder portion 10 and the liquid inflow cylinder portion 20 is described as approximately 90° in FIG. 4, it is not limited to this. That is, as described above, the intersection angle θ is not particularly limited, such as less than 90 degrees, as long as the intersection is such that the liquid can flow from the liquid inflow cylinder portion 20 toward the main cylinder portion 10 .

Further, in the present embodiment, it is preferable that the above-described liquid inflow tubular portion 20 has a branching portion 40 that splits the liquid on its inner wall.

As for the position where the branch portion 40 is formed, it may be formed on at least a part of the inner wall of the liquid inflow tube portion 20 as long as the intended effect is obtained. That is, in the present embodiment, the branching portion 40 is preferably formed at a position where the flow rate and speed of the liquid flowing from the liquid inflow tubular portion 20 into the main tubular portion 10 can be adjusted.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a cross section along A-A' in FIG. 4 from an obliquely upward direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the branching portion 40 is preferably formed on the inner wall of the liquid inflow tubular portion 20 on the downstream side (the +X direction side in FIG. 5).

Also, the height h of the branching portion 40 shown in FIG. In order to achieve the object, it is preferable that the height h is 2 mm or more.

The shape of the branching portion 40 is not particularly limited, but in view of the problem of adjusting the flow rate and speed of the liquid in this embodiment, the shape is from the downstream side of the liquid inflow cylindrical portion 20 to the upstream side (opening 30 side). It is preferable that the shape has a tapered portion in which the width in the circumferential direction gradually narrows from (to the water receiving member WP side).
In other words, the shape of the branch portion 40 is such that the width of the branch portion 40 in the Y direction gradually increases from the second end portion 202 toward the first end portion 201 when viewed from the Z direction. is preferred.

That is, for example, it is preferable that the branch portion 40 has a triangular shape when viewed from above. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 7A, it may be a substantially isosceles triangle centered on the center line C of the liquid inflow cylinder 20 when viewed from the Z direction. It may be a substantially right triangle as shown in b). A substantially right-angled triangle as shown in FIG. 7B is preferable because the liquid diverted by the branching portion 40 can be smoothly guided by the first water guiding portion 50, which will be described later. Furthermore, when the branch portion 40 is a substantially right-angled triangle, it may be arranged so that the center line C passes through the midpoint of the substantially right-angled triangle. It is more preferable to displace from C.

In addition, although not shown, as long as the shape of the branch portion 40 has a tapered portion in which at least a portion of the width in the circumferential direction gradually narrows from the opening 30 side toward the water receiving member WP side, Known shapes such as a drop shape, rhombus, trapezoid, parallelogram, etc. can be applied.

7(a) and 7(b), an example in which one branch portion 40 is formed on the inner wall of the liquid inflow cylinder portion 20 has been described. Needless to say, it is not limited and may be formed in plurality.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 4(c) to 4(e), two or more branching portions may be provided on the inner wall of the liquid inflow cylinder portion at appropriate intervals along the circumferential direction. In that case, the number of the above-described water guide portions may be increased or decreased according to the number of installed branch portions.

In this embodiment, by forming the branching portion 40 as described above, it is possible to divide the liquid flowing from the liquid inflow tubular portion 20 into the main tubular portion 10 and to reduce the flow velocity of the circulating liquid. becomes. In addition, partial unevenness in the amount of liquid flowing through the peripheral wall of the main tubular portion 10 is suppressed, and variation in the growth of plants planted in a plurality of planting portions in plant cultivation is suppressed, and the growth of plants is prevented unintentionally. It is possible to suppress the problem that the speed becomes slow.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, the first water guide portion 50 is formed in the main tubular portion 10 so as to form a spiral starting from the rear end of the branch portion 40 (the side close to the first end portion 201). It is preferably formed on the inner wall. In other words, in the present embodiment, the first water guide portion 50 is preferably formed below the branch portion 40 on the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 .

Further, the branching portion 40 and the first water guiding portion 50 may be formed continuously in the vertical direction, but it is more preferable to form a separation portion G as shown in FIG. 6(a). That is, it is more preferable that the rear end of the branching portion 40 and the starting point of the first water guiding portion 50 are continuously arranged with the spaced portion G in between in the axial direction (Z direction). In this case, part of the fluid divided by the branching portion 40 can be guided without obstructing the flow and smoothly introduced into the main tubular portion 10 .

That is, as described above, in this embodiment, the flow of the liquid flowing from the liquid inflow tubular portion 20 into the main tubular portion 10 is divided by the branching portion 40 and the velocity is reduced.
In that case, it is presumed that part of the liquid flow split by the branching portion 40 flows down along the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 in the vertical direction after flowing into the main tubular portion 10 from the opening 30.

Although the branching portion 40 has been described above as being formed on the inner wall of the liquid inflow cylinder portion 20, it is not limited to this, and may be formed on the inner wall of the main cylinder portion 10. . In that case, for example, as shown in FIG. 6B, it can be formed in the Y direction and/or the −Y direction on the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 .
Further, when the branching portion 40 is formed on the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 in this way, although it depends on the diameter of the main tubular portion 10, the above-described first water conveying portion 50, first vertical rib 51, and second water conveying portion 50 are formed. The portion 60 and the second vertical rib 61 may not be formed. That is, when the diameter of the main tubular portion 10 is relatively large (for example, 30 mm to 500 mm), the flow of liquid can be controlled by forming the branch portion 40 without forming the water conducting portion. It is possible.
In particular, when the liquid flows in from the upper portion of the main tubular portion 10 without passing through the liquid inflow tubular portion 20, the branch portion 40 may be formed without forming the first water guiding portion 50 and the like. .

On the other hand, in the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants of the present embodiment, when the planting member 80 for planting plants is attached to the openings 30 and used, as shown in FIG. are arranged in multiple directions (two left and right directions in FIG. 8 (two directions of 0° and 180° when viewed from the Z direction)), and then a plurality of planting members 80 can be attached.

Therefore, in the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants of the present embodiment, it is preferable to distribute the liquid flow evenly in the plurality of directions on the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 . In particular, at least in the direction in which the planting member 80 is installed, the distribution of the liquid as evenly as possible on the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 suppresses the uneven growth of the cultivated plants and unintentionally increases the growth of the plants. This is preferable from the viewpoint of suppressing the problem that the growth rate becomes slow.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the liquid flowing from the liquid inflow tubular portion 20 into the main tubular portion 10 is split by the branching portion 40, and then passes through the flow path FP of the main tubular portion 10 as follows. It is possible to form a "first flow" and a "second flow".

First, the “first flow” is a flow that flows down the flow path FP of the main tubular portion 10 in the −Z direction without passing through the first water guiding portion 50 . (F1 in FIG. 5)
Next, as the “second flow”, the direction facing the opening 30 of the inner wall of the main tubular portion 10 via the first water conveying portion 50 (the inner side opposite to the side where the opening 30 is formed by 180°) wall). (F2 in FIG. 5)

By causing the liquid to flow through the flow path FP by a plurality of flows in this way, even if the planting members 80 are formed in a plurality of directions of the cultivation tube, it is possible to suppress variations in the growth of cultivated plants, which is preferable.

In the above, an example of forming two types of "first flow" and "second flow" was shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and three or more types of flow are formed in the flow path FP. You can let it run.
For example, when the planting member 80 is installed in two or more directions (three directions of 0°, 60°, and 120°, or four directions of 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°), , even when the thickness of the main tubular portion 10 is increased, by forming three or more types of flows in the flow path FP, the liquid can be easily guided, which is preferable.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5, it may be possible to form a "third flow (F3)" by the second water conveying section 60, or although not shown, a third water conveying section and a fourth water conveying section may be provided. Additional streams may be formed.

An example in which a planting member 80 for planting a plant is attached to the opening 30 of the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment and used will be described with reference to FIG. 8 .
That is, as shown in FIG. 8(a), the above-described planting members 80 may be attached to the opening 30 in a staggered arrangement in the X direction and the −X direction along the Z direction. As shown in 8(b), multiple planting members 80 may be attached at the same position in the Z direction.
Note that FIG. 8B shows an example in which a plurality of planting members 80 are attached at the same position in the Z direction, and both the first water conveying portion 50 and the second water conveying portion 60 are provided. However, it is not limited to this, and the second water conduit 60 may not be formed.

[Hydroponic cultivation unit 200]
Next, the detailed structure of the hydroponic cultivation unit 200 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9 .

First, as shown in FIG. 9, the hydroponic cultivation unit 200 in this embodiment includes the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants in this embodiment described above, and the liquid inflow tubular portion of the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants. A water receiving member WP detachably connected to 20 to receive the supply of liquid from the liquid supply system LS, and a plurality of mutually detachable tubular divisions, which are connected to the rear end E of the main tubular portion 10 . a planting tube 70 having one end that can be connected and at least one connecting opening on its side surface; a planting member 80 that has an opening at one end where the plant PL is placed and an opening at the other end that can be attached to and detached from the connecting opening of the cultivation tube; It includes a guide tube 90 that is detachably connected to the lower end of the cultivation tube 70, and the like.

The material of each of these members is not particularly limited, but polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS resin, or polyvinyl chloride, for example, can be used in the same manner as the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants. Also, depending on the member, different materials may be partially included. For example, the above-described water guide portion, ribs, and the like may be formed of a material having water retention properties such as non-woven fabric.
The method of molding each member is also not particularly limited, but it is desirable, for example, from the viewpoint of cost reduction to mold it into a desired shape by known injection molding.

In addition, each member is not particularly limited in the color to be colored, and may be uncolored, but is preferably colored. For example, from the viewpoint of improving reflectance, white or pearly may be used. can. On the other hand, it is also possible to color the main tube portion 10, the liquid inflow tube portion 20, the guide tube 90, and other members with relatively little contact with plant roots in a dark color such as black. By coloring in this way, it is possible to absorb light and suppress the generation of blue-green algae and the contamination of the liquid with water-blooms.
Further, an ultraviolet absorber or ultraviolet scattering agent may be added to the resin to improve weather resistance, or an additive such as an antibacterial agent may be added to the resin to improve antifouling properties.

In FIG. 9 , the planting members 80 are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction (Z direction) of the hydroponic cultivation unit 200 at positions facing the horizontal side surfaces (X direction side) of the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants. However, it is not limited to such an arrangement. That is, the planting member 80 may be arranged on both the X direction side and the −X direction side of the hydroponic plant tubular body 100 (see FIG. 8), or only on the X direction side (not shown). It may be arranged in a specific direction such as. In addition, the arrangement of the water guide part, the vertical ribs, etc. can be appropriately changed according to the arrangement of the planting member.

When the hydroponic cultivation unit 200 of the present embodiment is actually used for plant cultivation, in order to improve the cultivation yield, the liquid flowing down the main tubular portion 10 in the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants is , preferably into all of the plurality of planting members 80 . Moreover, it is preferable that the variation in the growth of plants planted on the planting member 80 is thereby reduced.

Therefore, it is preferable that the water receiving member WP, the guide cylinder 90, and the like described above are also provided with ribs and water guide portions for guiding the flow of the liquid.
Each will be described below.

First, FIG. 10 shows the water receiving member WP in this embodiment. In this embodiment, a liquid necessary for plant growth is supplied from the water receiving opening O of the water receiving member WP. The supplied liquid flows from the water receiving opening O of the water receiving member WP through the water receiving cylindrical portion P into the liquid inflow cylindrical portion 20 of the hydroponic plant cultivating cylindrical body 100 . Here, it is preferable that the inner wall of the water receiving cylindrical portion P is formed with a straightening rib R for guiding the flow of the liquid for the reason described above.
The regulating ribs R may be formed along the entire length of the tubular water receiving portion P so as to extend along the X direction, or may be formed in a portion of the tubular water receiving portion P. As shown in FIG.

In FIG. 10(b), as an example of the rectifying rib R, a protrusion having a triangular cross section is shown, but the shape is not limited to this shape, and the liquid in the water receiving tube portion P can be used for hydroponic cultivation of plants. There is no particular limitation as long as the shape can guide the inflow of the body 100 into the liquid inflow tubular portion 20 . For example, it may not be a convex projection as shown in FIG. 10(b), but may be a concave passage.
By forming such rectifying ribs R, the liquid can be guided to the branching portion 40 of the tubular body 100 for hydroponic cultivation of plants described above, which is preferable.

Next, the guide tube 90 will be described with reference to FIG. 11 .
As shown in FIG. 11(a), it is preferable that guide tube ribs 91 for guiding the flow of liquid are formed on the inner wall of the guide tube 90 of the present embodiment. With such a configuration, for example, when the liquid discharged from the main tube portion 10 to the outside through the guide tube 90 lands on the liquid receiving bed B as shown in FIG. Scattering can be suppressed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 11(b), the guide cylinder 90 in this embodiment is composed of a four-diameter thick portion 90a and a thin-diameter portion 90b vertically with a jumping prevention plate 92 interposed therebetween. Guide cylinder ribs 91a and 91b are preferably formed on the inner wall of 90b, respectively. With such a configuration, it is possible to more effectively suppress the splashing of the above-described liquid or the like to the outside.

Next, a sealing mechanism between the opening 30 and the planting member 80 will be described with reference to FIG. 12 . As described above, the outflow and inflow of the liquid between the main tubular portion 10 and the planting member 80 occur frequently. Gravity is always applied to the member 80 in the direction of gravity.

On the other hand, if a liquid containing water or nutrients leaks from between the main tubular portion 10 and the planting member 80, the leaked liquid may splash on the plants, causing plant diseases or sanitary problems. may have a negative impact on In addition, there is a cost problem due to liquid loss, and labor and costs are incurred for cleaning the leaked liquid. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid liquid leakage from between the main tubular portion 10 and the planting member 80 as much as possible. As for , improvement has been desired so as not to cause liquid leakage even in a state where gravity is applied.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, it is preferable that a fitting protrusion PT is formed at the tip of the opening 30. As shown in FIG. With such a configuration, when the planting member 80 is fitted into the opening 30, it is possible to improve the adhesion, and gravity is applied to the planting member 80 in the direction of gravity as the plant grows. Even in this case, liquid leakage from between the opening 30 and the planting member 80 can be suppressed.
As shown in FIG. 12, the fitting protrusion PT of the present embodiment has an annular shape that is continuous in the circumferential direction at the tip of the opening 30, but is not limited to this form. A PT may be formed.

Also, in the above description, the fitting protrusion PT is described using the tip of the opening 30 in FIG. 12, but it is not limited to this mode. That is, if the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants of the present embodiment can be divided, the fitting protrusion PT can be applied to any connecting portion.
For example, although not shown, it may be applied to the connecting portion between the water receiving member WP and the liquid inflow tubular portion 20, the connecting portion between the main tubular portion 10 and the main tubular portion 10, and the like.

Furthermore, in the above configuration, it is more preferable that the opening 30 and the planting member 80 are made of materials having different hardness. For example, the planting member 80 is made of polyethylene (PE) with relatively low hardness, and the opening 30 is made of polypropylene (PP) with relatively high hardness. Since it becomes possible to make it bite into the member 80, it becomes possible to further improve the adhesion between the two, which is preferable.

As another fitting method between the opening 30 and the planting member 80, it is possible to adopt a known method such as a friction method, a hook method, a screw method, a snap fit method, and the like. can. For example, when a screw type is adopted, it is preferable to apply a method such as rotating the planting member 80 to the opening 30 by rotating it less than one turn to improve work efficiency. .

[Hydroponic cultivation system 300]
Next, the structure of the hydroponic cultivation system 300 in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 13 .
The hydroponic cultivation system 300 in this embodiment includes the hydroponic cultivation unit 200 described above and a suspension support mechanism HS that supports the hydroponic cultivation unit 200, as shown in FIG. Further, the hydroponic cultivation system 300 includes a frame FR, a liquid supply system LS, and a liquid receiving bed B. Further, the hydroponic cultivation system 300 in this embodiment may further include a light source LT for irradiating light necessary for growing plants.

The frame FR supports the suspension support mechanism HS on its top surface by a known method, and accommodates the hydroponic cultivation unit 200, the liquid supply system LS, the liquid receiving bed B, etc. in the accommodation space formed therein. have a function.

A seedling of the plant PL to be cultivated is planted on the planting member 80 in the hydroponics unit 200 . Liquids such as moisture and nutrients necessary for growing the plants PL planted in the hydroponic cultivation unit 200 are supplied by the liquid supply system LS via known pumps and valves. The liquid supplied to the water receiving member WP flows through the hydroponic cultivation unit 200 and then flows out to the liquid receiving bed B.

In the hydroponic cultivation system 300 of the present embodiment, the liquid may be configured to circulate through the liquid supply system LS using the liquid receiving bed B. Moreover, the form which pours without circulating a liquid may be sufficient.

The embodiment described above is an example, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.

The tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants, the hydroponic cultivation unit, and the hydroponic cultivation system of the present invention are suitable for cultivating various plants. For example, it is particularly suitable for cultivating leafy vegetables such as lettuce, green leaves, salad greens, mizuna, spinach and herbs, fruit vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants and green peppers, and fruits such as strawberries, melons and watermelons. However, it is not limited to the cultivation of the above plants, and can be widely applied in a wide range of plant cultivation fields.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Cylindrical body for hydroponic cultivation of plants 10 Main cylinder part 20 Liquid inflow cylinder part 30 Opening 40 Branch part 50 First water conveying part 52 First guide surface 53 First vertical convex part 60 Second water conveying part 62 Second guide surface 63 Second vertical convex portion 80 Planting member 90 Guide cylinder WP Water receiving member 200 Hydroponic cultivation unit 300 Hydroponic cultivation system

In order to solve the above problems, a tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to an embodiment of the present invention has (1) a channel through which a liquid necessary for plant cultivation flows, and communicates with the channel. a main tubular portion having a side wall formed with an opening for the inflow or outflow of the liquid; a first water conveying portion that guides the flow to swirl along the inner wall; the first water conveying portion has a first guide surface extending from the inner wall of the main tubular portion; 1. The guide surface (a) intersects the inner wall at an elevation angle α with respect to the center line of the main tubular portion , or (b) at an angle α with respect to the center line of the main tubular portion at a depression angle. The first water guide section intersects with the inner wall and further has a first vertical protrusion continuing from an end of the first guide surface, and the first vertical protrusion includes (c) the first guide surface or (d) the first guide surface and the first vertical protrusion are continuous so that the cross section forms a U-shape.

Further, in the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment, in (1) above, ( 2 ) at least part of the liquid flowing through the channel is It further includes a second water conveying portion guiding in a circumferential direction opposite to the first water conveying portion, the second water conveying portion having a second guide surface extending from an inner wall of the main tubular portion, and the second water conveying portion (e) the guide surface intersects the inner wall at an angle β of elevation with respect to the center line of the main tubular portion , or (f) at an angle of depression with respect to the center line of the main tubular portion; The second water guide section intersects with the inner wall and further has a second vertical protrusion continuing from the end of the second guide surface, and the second vertical protrusion includes (g) the second guide surface It is preferable that the second guide surface and the second vertical protrusion are connected to each other so that the second guide surface is erected from the end, or (h) the cross section forms a U-shape.

Further, in the above ( 2 ), in the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment, ( 3 ) at least one of the angles α and β is preferably an elevation angle of 30° to 90°.

In the above (3), the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment is characterized in that (4) the angles α and β are elevation angles, and the first It is preferable to further have a vertical projection and a second vertical projection standing from the end of the second guide surface.

In the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment, in ( 2 ) above, ( 5 ) at least one of the angle α and the angle β is a depression angle of 90° to 150°, and the first guide surface It is preferable to further have a first vertical projection erected from an end and a second vertical projection erected from an end of the second guide surface.

In the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment, in any one of the above (1) to ( 5 ), ( 6 ) the opening of the main tubular portion is provided with water for receiving the supply of the liquid. It further has a liquid inflow tubular portion for making the receiving member detachable . It is preferable to have a branching portion for branching the liquid so as to branch into a direction in which it is connected and swirled along the inner wall of the main tubular portion .

In the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment, in ( 6 ) above, ( 7 ) the branch portion and the first water conveying portion are continuously provided via a separation portion, and the branch portion At least part of the split liquid is preferably guided in the circumferential direction of the main cylinder portion by the first guide surface.

In the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to the present embodiment, in (7) above, ( 8 ) the branching portion provided on the inner wall of the liquid inflow tubular portion has the opening in the inner wall of the liquid inflow tubular portion. It is preferable to have a tapered portion in which the width in the circumferential direction gradually narrows from the side toward the water receiving member.

Further, in order to solve the above problems, a hydroponic cultivation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is ( 9 ) detachable from the tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to (1) above and the opening. and a planting member having a planting opening for planting a plant.

Further, in order to solve the above problems, a hydroponic cultivation system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: ( 10 ) the hydroponic cultivation unit according to ( 9 ) above; and a suspension support mechanism that supports the hydroponic cultivation unit and a liquid supply system for supplying necessary liquid to plants planted on the planting member of the hydroponic cultivation unit.

Claims (11)

a main tubular portion having therein a flow path through which a liquid necessary for plant cultivation flows, and having an opening formed in a side wall that communicates with the flow path and allows the liquid to flow in or out;
a first water guide section that guides at least part of the liquid flowing through the flow path in the inner wall of the main tubular section so as to flow in a circumferential direction so as to turn along the inner wall ;
Further, the first water conducting portion has a first guide surface extending from the inner wall of the main tubular portion, and the first guide surface intersects the inner wall at an angle α with respect to the centerline of the main tubular portion. do
A cylindrical body for hydroponic cultivation of plants, characterized by: a main tubular portion having therein a flow path through which a liquid necessary for plant cultivation flows, and having an opening formed in a side wall that communicates with the flow path and allows the liquid to flow in or out;
a branching portion that guides at least part of the liquid flowing through the flow path in the longitudinal direction on the inner wall of the main tubular portion ;
The opening of the main tubular portion is provided with a liquid inflow tubular portion for detachably attaching a water receiving member for receiving supply of the liquid,
The branching portion is formed on the inner wall of the fluid inflow cylinder,
A cylindrical body for hydroponic cultivation of plants, characterized by: further comprising a second water guiding portion that guides at least part of the liquid flowing through the flow path in the inner wall of the main tubular portion in a circumferential direction opposite to that of the first water guiding portion;
The second water conducting portion has a second guide surface extending from the inner wall of the main tubular portion, and the second guide surface intersects the inner wall at an angle β with respect to the centerline of the main tubular portion. ,
The tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to claim 1 . 4. The tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to claim 3 , wherein the angles α and β are 30° to 90°. 5. Plant hydroponics according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising a first vertical protrusion standing from an end of said first guide surface and a second vertical protrusion standing from an end of said second guide surface. Cylindrical body for cultivation. The angles α and β are 90° to 150°,
further comprising a first vertical protrusion standing from an end of the first guide surface and a second vertical protrusion standing from an end of the second guide surface;
The cylindrical body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to claim 3 . The opening of the main tubular portion further includes a liquid inflow tubular portion for detachably attaching a water receiving member for receiving supply of the liquid,
The liquid inflow cylinder part has a branch part for diverting the liquid on its inner wall,
The tubular body for hydroponics of plants according to any one of claims 1 and 3 to 6. the inner wall of the main tubular portion includes a first water guide portion that guides at least part of the liquid flowing through the flow path in a circumferential direction;
The first water guide portion has a first guide surface extending from the inner wall of the main tubular portion,
The branched portion and the first water guide portion are continuously provided via a spaced portion, and at least a part of the liquid branched by the branched portion flows in the circumferential direction of the main tubular portion by the first guide surface. 3. The tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to claim 2 , which is guided towards. The branch portion provided on the inner wall of the liquid inflow tubular portion has a tapered portion in which the width in the circumferential direction of the inner wall of the liquid inflow tubular portion gradually narrows from the opening toward the water receiving member. The tubular body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to claim 7. A cylindrical body for hydroponic cultivation of plants according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
a planting member removably attached to the opening and having a planting opening for planting a plant;
A hydroponic cultivation unit comprising: a hydroponic cultivation unit according to claim 10;
a suspension support mechanism that supports the hydroponic cultivation unit;
a liquid supply system that supplies necessary liquid to plants planted on the planting member of the hydroponic cultivation unit;
A hydroponic cultivation system comprising:

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