JP2024013132A - plant cultivation shelf device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a plant cultivation shelf device that can promote good growth while preventing variations in the growth of plants placed on the cultivation shelf.

SOLUTION: The present invention comprises: a shelf frame T that forms the skeleton of a device; a plurality of planter containers P that accommodate plants to be cultivated; and an irrigation device K that supplies water to the planter containers P, the plurality of planter containers P being fixed to a fixing frame t4 provided in multiple stages above and below the shelf frame T, and arranged without overlapping in the vertical direction by shifting the position of each planter container P in the longitudinal direction of the fixing frame t4, the irrigation device K comprising a water storage tank that stores irrigation water, a pump that pumps up and circulates the water in the water storage tank, and an irrigation controller that controls pump operation and stop, and being configured to send water to a water pipe W connected to the pump by operating the pump, and in the water pipe W, a plurality of branch pipes each having a solenoid valve D being connected to a plurality of planter containers P, respectively.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a plant cultivation shelf device equipped with cultivation shelves capable of accommodating plants for cultivation in multiple stages above and below.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there have been many plant cultivation shelf apparatuses that are equipped with cultivation shelves that accommodate and cultivate plants in multiple levels, one above the other, and various mechanisms for promoting the growth of plants. For example, a plant cultivation shelf device (plant cultivation unit) described in Patent Document 1 includes a cultivation shelf capable of accommodating plants for cultivation in multiple stages above and below, and a lighting device that irradiates light to the plants accommodated in this cultivation shelf. The plant is equipped with a humidifying unit that supplies humidified air to the plants, thereby making it possible to freely control illuminance, humidity, airflow, etc. for the plants housed in the cultivation rack.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-41016

However, in the conventional plant cultivation shelf device as described in Patent Document 1, due to the structure of the cultivation shelf, differences in the height and position of the shelf cause differences in the environment in which plants grow, and as a result, differences in the environment for growing plants occur between plants. There may be variations in the degree of growth. For example, in general, the lower the cultivation shelf, the more shade it is likely to create, so the growth of plants placed on the lower shelf is likely to be delayed.

For example, when growing seedlings of plants that grow easily, such as cedar, cypress, and pine, using conventional general cultivation shelves, the plants may reach the ceiling of each shelf as they grow. growth will be inhibited. To solve this problem, if the vertical spacing between the cultivation racks is widened, the cultivation racks will become larger, leading to a decrease in space efficiency.

In this way, with conventional plant cultivation rack devices, due to the structure of the cultivation rack, there may be variations in the growth rate among plants, and when growing seedlings of plants that tend to grow taller, the growth may be inhibited. was there.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a plant cultivation rack device that can eliminate such problems and favorably promote the growth of plants placed on the cultivation rack while preventing variations in their growth.

In order to achieve the above object, the first invention
comprising a shelf frame forming the skeleton of the device, a plurality of planter containers for accommodating plants to be cultivated, and an irrigation device for supplying water to the planter containers,
The plurality of planter containers are fixed to a fixing frame provided in multiple stages vertically on the shelf frame, and are overlapped in the vertical direction by shifting the positions of the respective planter containers in the longitudinal direction of the fixing frame. It is arranged without
The irrigation device includes a water storage tank that stores irrigation water, a pump that pumps up and circulates the water in the water storage tank, and an irrigation controller that controls operation and stop of the pump, and by operating the pump, configured to send water to a water pipe connected to the pump,
In the water pipe, a plurality of branch pipes having electromagnetic valves are respectively connected to the plurality of planter containers,
A plant cultivation shelf device is provided, characterized in that the amount of water supplied to the planter container can be adjusted by controlling opening and closing of the electromagnetic valve by a control device.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the plurality of planter containers arranged on the shelf frame do not overlap in the vertical direction but are arranged with their positions shifted in the longitudinal direction of the fixing frame. It is possible to prevent the situation where the plant reaches the ceiling of the shelf and the growth of the plant is thereby inhibited. Further, it is possible to avoid a situation where the sunlight of the plants placed on the lower shelf is blocked by the upper shelf, and it is possible to favorably promote the growth of the plants placed on the cultivation shelves while preventing variations in their growth. In addition, the control device adjusts the opening degree of the electromagnetic valve to adjust the flow rate of the water pipe, making it possible to finely adjust the water level in each planter container.

A second invention includes, in addition to the configuration of the first invention,
The fixing frame is characterized in that, along its longitudinal direction, a plurality of positioning bolt holes are provided at predetermined intervals so as to be able to be fixed by bolting to the connected portion of the planter container.

According to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the effects of the first aspect, the positioning bolt hole facilitates positioning and fixing of the planter container, making it possible to flexibly respond to replacement and arrangement changes of the planter container.

A third invention provides, in addition to the configuration of the first or second invention,
a lighting unit that irradiates the plants housed in the planter container with light and controls the illuminance near the planter container;
an illuminance measurement unit that measures illuminance near the planter container,
The lighting unit is configured by disposing an illumination electric lamp in the vicinity of the plurality of planter containers, respectively,
The control device acquires measurement information from the illuminance measurement unit, and lights up an illumination lamp disposed near the planter container that is determined to have an illuminance lower than a preset illuminance for each planter container. It is characterized by performing lighting/extinguishing control.

According to the third invention, in addition to the effects of the first or second invention, it is possible to irradiate each planter container with light, and by controlling the lighting section to turn on and off by the control device, each planter container can be irradiated with light. It is possible to finely adjust the illuminance for each plant housed in the room. Thereby, it is possible to further promote the growth of plants while preventing variations in their growth.

A fourth invention includes, in addition to the configuration of the third invention,
A shielding state in which the plate surface of the shielding member is disposed vertically without any gaps above the plant cultivation shelf device to block incident light, and a shielding state in which the plate surface of the shielding member is inclined with respect to the vertical direction and the board A louver device is disposed that can switch between a transmitting state and a transmitting state in which the surfaces are arranged to face each other and at least part of the light is transmitted through the louver device,
The control device controls switching of the louver device between a shielding state and a transmitting state by comparing the measurement information acquired by the illuminance measurement unit with illuminance preset in a storage unit for each planter container. It is characterized by being configured.

According to the fourth invention, in addition to the effects of the third invention,
The plant cultivation shelf device effectively compensates for the lack of illuminance with the lighting section, and when the illuminance is excessive, the louver device blocks sunlight and generates electricity with the solar panel, so each planter container can be It is possible to precisely achieve illuminance suitable for the growth of plants, and in addition, it can contribute to energy savings.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a device that can favorably promote the growth of plants placed on cultivation shelves while preventing variations in their growth.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plant cultivation shelf device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of the plant cultivation shelf device of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a left side view of the plant cultivation shelf device of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the plant cultivation shelf device of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the planter container of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of the control device of the plant cultivation shelf device of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a plant cultivation shelf device according to a modification. FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of a control device for a plant cultivation shelf device according to a modification.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plant cultivation shelf device 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view, FIG. 3 is a left side view, and FIG. 4 is a plan view. Note that for convenience of explanation, illustration of the plant 2 is omitted in FIGS. 2, 3, and 7.

<1. Plant cultivation shelf device＞
As shown in FIG. 1, the plant cultivation shelf device 1 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the "device") has a basic configuration in which seedlings of plants 2 to be cultivated are placed on a shelf frame T that forms the skeleton of the device. A plurality of planter containers P that accommodate pods are fixed in multiple stages above and below, and an irrigation device K having an irrigation function that supplies water to each planter container is arranged below the plurality of planter containers P. This irrigation device K is configured to be able to supply water to each planter container P via a water pipe W connected to each planter container P.

Next, each configuration of the plant cultivation shelf device 1 will be explained in further detail.
For convenience of explanation, in the following, the longitudinal direction of the plant cultivation shelf device 1 will be taken as the left-right direction, the lateral direction will be taken as the front-back direction, and the front-rear, left-right and front-back directions will be determined as shown by the arrows in FIG. Moreover, in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 7, illustration of the seedling pod of the plant 2 is omitted. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, although the case where the plant 2 is comprised as a pot seedling is demonstrated, it is not limited to this.

The shelf frame T is formed by assembling rod-shaped frame materials into a cubic frame shape, and includes four support frames t1 forming the four corners of the plant cultivation shelf device 1, and four support frames t1 provided at the upper end of the support support frames t1. It includes an upper frame t2 and a lower frame t3 provided at its lower end. The upper rectangular frame t2 and the lower rectangular frame t3 are rectangular frame members, each of which is fixed by having its four corners bolted to the four support frames t1 with bolts (not shown). . Note that an irrigation device K and a control device C, which will be described later, are arranged on the lower rectangular frame t3. Casters t31 are provided on the lower surface of the lower rectangular frame t3 to facilitate movement of the device.

In addition, the right side part of the shelf frame T (specifically, the square frame part formed by the two right side support frames t1, t1, the right end of the upper rectangular frame t2, and the right end of the lower rectangular frame t3) ) and the left side part (specifically, it refers to the square frame part formed by the two left side support frames t1, t1, the left end of the upper rectangular frame t2, and the left end of the lower rectangular frame t3). ) is provided with three pairs of left and right fixing frames t4 so as to correspond to the positions of the upper, middle, and lower tiers, with the vertical heights varying at predetermined intervals.

This fixing frame t4 functions to support and fix the planter container P to the shelf frame T, and is formed of a frame material having a substantially L-shaped cross section. By t4 and t4, it is possible to support and fix both the left and right sides thereof.

Further, the fixing frame t4 is provided with positioning bolt holes b1 at the front, middle, and rear parts, respectively. The positioning bolt holes b1 are drilled at intervals of about the width of the front and back of the planter container P, and are used to fix the planter container P by fastening the bolts to the connected portion b2 provided on the planter container P. It can be fixed to the frame t4. In addition, since positioning bolt holes b1 are provided in the front, middle, and rear parts, by selecting the positioning bolt holes b1 to be fastened, the planter container P can be attached to the front part of the fixing frame t4. , the middle part, and the rear part can be selected and fixed. This facilitates positioning and fixing of the planter container P, and provides a mechanism that can flexibly respond to replacement and arrangement changes of the planter container P. In this embodiment, one fixing frame t4 is provided with three positioning bolt holes b1, but in order to enable more precise positioning, three positioning bolt holes b1 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the fixing frame t4. , three or more positioning bolt holes b1 may be provided.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, in order to avoid overlapping in the vertical direction, the lower fixing frame t4 is placed in the front part, and the middle part is placed in the middle part, as shown in FIG. Planter containers P are each fixed to the rear of the upper stage.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of planter containers P arranged on the shelf frame T can be positioned front and rear (in other words, in the longitudinal direction of the fixing frame t3) without overlapping in the vertical direction. Since the shelves are staggered, it is possible to prevent the plants from growing and reaching the ceiling of each shelf, thereby inhibiting the growth of the plants. Additionally, it is possible to avoid the situation where the sunlight of the plants placed on the lower shelves is blocked by the upper shelves, and it is possible to promote the growth of plants placed on the cultivation shelves while preventing uneven growth.

As shown in FIG. 3, the irrigation device K is fixed to a lower rectangular frame t3 and includes a water storage tank k1 that stores irrigation water, a pump k2 that pumps up and circulates the water in this water storage tank k1, and a pump k2 that pumps up and circulates the water in this water storage tank k1. It is equipped with an irrigation controller k3 that controls the operation and stop of the pump k2, and is configured to send water to the water pipe W connected to the pump k2 by operating the pump k2. Moreover, the irrigation controller k3 is configured to receive a control signal from a control device C, which will be described later, and to switch between operating and stopping the pump k2 based on the acquired control signal.

The water pipe W includes a main pipe w1 extending in the vertical direction, a lower branch pipe w31 branched from the main pipe w1 and connected to the lower planter container P (P3), and a middle branch pipe connected to the middle planter container P (P2). It includes a pipe w21 and an upper branch pipe w11 connected to the upper planter container P (P1).

In addition, the water stored in the upper planter container P (P1) is connected to the bottom of the upper planter container P (P1) and is passed through the upper drain pipe w12 that extends to the middle planter container P (P2). It is possible to drain water into the planter container P (P2).

Similarly, the water stored in the middle planter container P (P1) is connected to the bottom of the middle planter container P (P2) and is drained by the middle drain pipe w22 that extends to the lower planter container P (P3). It is possible to naturally drain water into the planter container P (P3). Further, the water stored in the lower planter container P (P3) is transferred to the water storage tank k1 of the irrigation device K by a lower drain pipe w32 that is connected to the bottom of the lower planter container P (P3) and extends to the irrigation device K. It is possible to drain water to

The upper drain pipe w12, the middle drain pipe w22, and the lower drain pipe w32 each allow water to flow downward from a water intake port (overflow port) at the upper end of each tube (not shown) provided in the planter container P. Therefore, when the water level in the planter container P reaches a certain level (reaching the position of the water inlet), water flows into the lower planter container P. Note that the height of the water intake port can be adjusted manually. Note that the height of the water intake port may be electrically adjustable by disposing a mechanism such as an actuator. In this way, the plant cultivation shelf device 1 is configured to supply water into each planter container P and circulate the water therein by driving the irrigation device K. In this way, the irrigation device K works to wet the bottom of the plants housed in the planter container P and supply water, and the water in the planter container P is drained from the upper drain pipe w12 and the middle drain pipe w22. , flows down through the lower drain pipe w32 and is returned to the water storage tank k1.

Furthermore, the lower branch pipe w31, the middle branch pipe w21, the lower branch pipe w31, the upper drain pipe w11, the middle drain pipe w22, and the lower drain pipe w32 are each provided with a solenoid valve D that is controlled to open and close by a control device C, which will be described later. It is set up. As a result, water flowing through the upper branch pipe w11, the middle branch pipe w21, the lower branch pipe w31, the upper drain pipe w12, the middle drain pipe w22, and the lower drain pipe w32 can be controlled by adjusting the opening degree of each electromagnetic valve D. As a result, the water level of the water remaining in each planter container P (P1, P2, P3) can be adjusted to a constant level. By controlling the opening and closing of these solenoid valves D, it is possible to quickly send water to all planter containers P at the same time or only to a specific planter container P, and also to control the amount of water discharged from each planter container P (P1, P2, P3). The water level can also be adjusted individually, making it possible to precisely adjust the water level.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the upper branch pipe w11 has an upper supply solenoid valve d11, the middle branch pipe w21 has a middle supply solenoid valve d21, and the lower branch pipe w31 has a lower supply solenoid valve d31. However, an upper drain solenoid valve d12 is installed in the upper drain pipe w12, a middle drain solenoid valve d22 is installed in the middle drain pipe w22, and a lower drain solenoid valve d32 is installed in the lower drain pipe w32 to control the flow rate. It can be controlled electromagnetically.

In addition, the front part of the shelf frame T (specifically, the square frame part formed by the two front support frames t1, t1, the front end of the upper rectangular frame t2, and the front end of the lower rectangular frame t3) ) and the rear part (specifically, the square frame part formed by the two rear support frames t1, t1, the rear end of the upper rectangular frame t2, and the rear end of the lower rectangular frame t3) ), three pairs of LED lights (L1, L2, L3) are installed in the front and rear, corresponding to the positions of the upper, middle, and lower tiers, with the vertical heights varying at predetermined intervals. There is. These LED lights (L1, L2, L3) are long tubular bodies in which LED light emitting elements are arranged along their longitudinal direction, and are rotatably attached to the support frame t1 using a connecting jig (not shown). The irradiation range can be adjusted up or down depending on the growth of the plant. Note that the adjustment of the irradiation range by rotating the LED lights (L1, L2, L3) may be performed manually by the user, or may be performed electrically by a motor or the like. In that case, an image sensor that acquires image information of the plant 2 is provided on the support frame t1, and the image information acquired by the image sensor is transmitted to a control device to be described later, and the control device C that has acquired the image information As a result of the analysis, the irradiation range of each LED light (L1, L2, L3) placed in the upper, middle, and lower tiers was determined to be on the thick leaf area of each plant 2 placed in the upper, middle, and lower tiers. The motor that rotates the LED lights (L1, L2, L3) may be configured to autonomously drive and control the LED lights (L1, L2, L3) so as to follow.

These LED lights (L1, L2, L3) function as a lighting section L that irradiates the plants 2 housed in the planter container P and controls the illuminance. L3) are each configured to be turned on and off by a control device C, which will be described later. As a result, the upper LED light (L1) lights the upper planter container P1, the middle LED light (L2) lights the middle planter container P2, and the lower LED light (L3) lights the lower planter container P3. By controlling the lighting unit L to turn on and off using the control device C, it is possible to finely adjust the illuminance for each plant housed in each planter container. Thereby, it is possible to further promote the growth of plants while preventing variations in their growth. In addition, since the LED lights (L1, L2, L3) are each provided slightly above the fixing frame t4, it is possible to properly irradiate light onto the thickly foliage part of the plant 2.

In addition, the shelf frame T is capable of measuring the illuminance near the planter containers P arranged in the upper, middle, and lower tiers (nearby refers to, for example, a range of approximately 50 cm to 1 m around the planter container P). An illuminance measuring section S2 is provided. More specifically, the upper, middle, and lower fixing frames t4 are each provided with an upper illuminance measurement sensor s21, a middle illuminance measurement sensor s22, and a lower illuminance measurement sensor s23 that can measure illuminance. The measurement information regarding the illuminance measured by the illuminance measurement unit S2 is transmitted to the control device C, which will be described later, and the control device C acquires the measurement information of the illuminance and stores the illuminance of the upper stage, middle stage, and lower stage in the storage unit c5. is configured to do so.

Although not shown, each planter container P (P1, P2, P3) has a water level gauge S1 (more specifically, an upper water level gauge s11 disposed in the upper planter container P1, a water level gauge s11 disposed in the middle planter container A middle water level gauge s12 disposed at P2 and a lower water level gauge s13 disposed at the lower planter container P3 are disposed at appropriate positions. ) can be measured. Measurement information from the water level gauge S is transmitted to a control device C, which will be described later, and the control device C is configured to acquire measurement information indicating the water level and store it in the storage unit c5.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the planter container P of FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 5, the planter container P includes an upper lid p1 that covers the upper surface, a bottom net portion p2 installed on the internal bottom surface, and a box-shaped planter container main body p3.

The upper lid p1 has an installation hole p12 formed in a round shape to match the shape of the potted seedling of the plant 2, and has water permeability through the bottom of the potted seedling of the plant 2, which is arranged so as to be inserted through the installation hole p12. It is configured to be received by the bottom net portion p2, and thereby the potted seedling 2 can be accommodated in a stable posture. The upper lid p1 is provided at both ends with return portions p11 for engaging with the upper edge of the planter container main body p3. Note that the diameter of the installation hole p12 may be provided to be changeable depending on the type of plant 2. For example, the diameter may be made variable by using wires arranged in a grid pattern and shifting the positions of the wires. Furthermore, by applying this structure, the interval (pitch) between the installation holes p12 may be configured to be changeable. Alternatively, a rectangular plate provided with the installation hole p12 may be configured to be removably attached to the upper lid p1, and the diameter may be made variable by replacing the rectangular plate with one having a different diameter. This makes it possible to apply it to a wide range of items such as cedar seedlings and lettuce. Note that the shape of the installation hole p12 does not necessarily have to be round, as long as it matches the plant 2.

The planter container main body p3 has a water supply hole p31 connectable to the upper branch pipe w11, middle branch pipe w21, and lower branch pipe w31 on the side, and connects to the upper drain pipe w12, middle drain pipe w22, and lower drain pipe w32 on the bottom. A possible drainage hole p32 is provided.

FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of the control device C of the plant cultivation shelf device 1.
Further, the control device 30 is a device in which an electronic arithmetic device having a CPU, ROM, RAM, programs, etc. is housed in a housing, and the CPU that performs arithmetic processing stores information necessary for the arithmetic processing in a readable/writable memory. Various functions indicated by blocks are performed by operating according to various stored control programs. The inside of the casing of the control device 30 is equipped with a communication section C2 that can be connected to a network NW such as the Internet, and the exterior of the casing is configured to be able to exchange information with the control device C via the network NW. It is equipped with an information terminal C3. Note that the information terminal C3 is, for example, an electronic device equipped with operating means such as a tablet or a smartphone. Further, in the figure, functional blocks connected by straight lines or arrows are connected by wire or wirelessly, and can send and receive information.

As shown in FIG. 6, the control device C has a water level meter S1 and an illuminance measuring section S2 connected to the input side, and thereby transmits information regarding the water level of each planter container P (P1, P2, P3) as appropriate. It can be obtained on time. Further, the control device C is configured to have an irrigation device K, a solenoid valve D, and a lighting section L connected to the output side, and to send control signals to these devices to control their operations.

The control device C also includes a water level setting section c1, a water level adjusting section c2, an illuminance setting section c3, and an illuminance adjusting section c4. It also includes a storage section c5 that can store various information.

The water level setting unit c1 is a program that receives input from the information terminal C3 and sets the water level of each planter container P (P1, P2, P3) based on the acquired operation information. Thereby, the user can set a desired water level for each planter container, and the water level setting information indicating the height of the water level of each planter container set by the user is stored in the storage unit c5. It is set in the control device C.

The water level adjustment unit c2 controls each electromagnetic valve D based on the stored water level setting information, and adjusts the water level in each planter container to reach the water level desired by the user. For example, if the water level set in the upper planter container P1 is 3 cm and the water level measured by the upper water level gauge s11 is 2 cm, the water level adjustment unit c2 adjusts the water level so that the water level measured by the upper water level gauge s11 is 3 cm. The flow rate of the upper branch pipe w11 is increased by controlling the upper stage supply solenoid valve d11, and the flow rate of the upper stage drain pipe w12 is further reduced by controlling the upper stage drain solenoid valve d12. Raise the water level. In addition, when lowering the water level, conversely, the electromagnetic valve D (d11, d12) is controlled to reduce the flow rate of the upper stage branch pipe w11 and further increase the flow rate of the upper stage drain pipe w12. Further, similar water level adjustment control is possible not only for the upper planter container P but also for each planter container P (P1, P2, P3).

In this way, according to the configuration in which a desired water level is set for each planter container P (P1, P2, P3) by operating the information terminal C3, and the control device automatically adjusts the water level to the set water level, each planter container In the containers P (P1, P2, P3), even when different plants are cultivated or the plants have different growth rates, it can be well handled, and an appropriate water level can be achieved for each planter container.

The illuminance setting unit c3 is a program that receives input from the information terminal C3 and sets the illuminance of each planter container based on the acquired operation information. Thereby, the user can set the desired illuminance for each planter container, and the illuminance setting information indicating the illuminance of each planter container set by the user is stored in the storage unit c5, so that the control device Set to C.

The illumination adjustment unit c3 controls the upper LED light L1, the middle LED light L2, and the lower LED light L3 of the illumination unit L to turn on and off, respectively, based on the stored illuminance setting information, so that the illuminance near each planter container is adjusted to the level of use. Adjust the illuminance to the user's desired illuminance. In other words, the control device C compares the illuminance information acquired from the upper illuminance measurement sensor s21, the middle illuminance measurement sensor s22, and the lower illuminance measurement sensor s23 with the set illuminance information, and determines which of the upper, middle, and lower planter containers. If it is determined that the illuminance in the vicinity is less than the illuminance set for each planter container P (that is, appropriate illuminance data for each planter container P is set in the storage unit c5), it is determined that the illuminance is not satisfied. Either the upper LED light (L1), the middle LED light (L2), or the lower LED light (L3) corresponding to the planter container is turned on. For example, when the illuminance near the upper planter container P1 is less than the illuminance set for the upper planter container P1, the upper LED light (L1) is turned on. Conversely, if the set illuminance is satisfied, the lights are turned off.

In this way, according to the configuration in which a desired illuminance is set for each planter container P by operating the information terminal C3, and the control device C automatically adjusts the illuminance to the set illuminance, each planter container P (P1, P2 , P3), it is possible to satisfactorily cope with the case where different plants are cultivated or where the growth rates of the plants are different, and it is possible to realize appropriate illuminance for each planter container P (P1, P2, P3).

Note that the control device C calculates the integrated illuminance, which is the cumulative total of the illuminance, for each planter container P (P1, P2, P3), and stores the value of the reference integrated illuminance at a predetermined time (storage unit c5 of the control device C). The illumination unit L may be controlled to turn on and off by comparing the value of the integrated illuminance (which is set in advance for each time) and the actual integrated illuminance.

<2. Modified example>
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and the like described above. Therefore, various modifications or changes can be made to the embodiments within the scope of the invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a plant cultivation shelf device 1 according to a modified example, and more specifically shows the plant cultivation shelf device 1 combined with a louver device R having a light shielding function. As shown in FIG. 7, in the plant cultivation shelf device 1 according to the modification, a louver device R, which is sunlight shielding means, is disposed above. In addition, although the side wall part 3 surrounding the horizontal direction is arrange|positioned at the side of the plant cultivation shelf apparatus 1, it is not limited to this.

The louver device R has a shielding state in which the plate surface of the shielding member (louver) is disposed without any gap along the vertical direction to block the incident light LS, and a shielding state in which the plate surface of the shielding member r1 is inclined with respect to the vertical direction, It is possible to switch to a transmitting state in which the plate surfaces are arranged to face each other and at least part of the light LS is transmitted.

As shown in FIG. 7, the shielding members r1 are substantially rectangular flat plate members, and a plurality of shielding members r1 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the louver device 10. As shown in FIG. The shielding member r1 is provided with a rotation axis r2 parallel to the longitudinal direction at the center of its transversal edge, and is rotatably held by the holding part r5 via the rotation axis r2.

Moreover, a solar panel r4 is provided on the surface of the shielding member r1. Thereby, when light such as sunlight is incident on the surface of the shielding member r1 in the shielding state, power is generated from the sunlight and a power storage unit (not shown) is charged. The electric power charged in the power storage unit can be supplied to the control device C and the LED lights L (L1, L2, L3) of the lighting unit L.

The holding part r3 is a part that rotatably holds the plurality of shielding members r1, and is composed of a base part r5, an interlocking arm r6, etc., as shown in a schematic partial enlarged view in the balloon part of FIG.
The base r5 is a base member that supports the plurality of shielding members r1, and two base parts r5 are provided so as to sandwich both ends of the shielding member r1 in the longitudinal direction (in the direction toward the front of the paper). Each base r5 has a plurality of holes (not shown) provided at equal intervals, and by inserting the rotation axis r2 of each shielding member r1 into each hole, the plurality of shielding members r1 can be rotated. It is held in The interval (pitch) between the holes provided in each base r5 is equal to the width in the transverse direction of the shielding member r1 so that there is no gap between adjacent shielding members r1 when the shielding member r1 is in the shielding state. , or slightly shorter than its width.

As shown in the figure, the interlocking arm r6 is an arm member that connects the corners of each shielding member r1 formed in a flat plate shape, and the corner of each shielding member r1 is rotatably supported by a rotation mechanism part r12. are doing. By moving the interlocking arm r6 along the longitudinal direction of the louver device R, the louver device R of this embodiment can simultaneously rotate each shielding member r1 by the same angle relative to the base r5. . As a result, the louver device R can switch between a shielding state in which light L such as sunlight entering the plant cultivation shelf device 1 is shielded, and a transmitting state in which at least a portion of the light L is transmitted indoors.

As shown in the balloon part of FIG. 7, the interlocking arm r6 of this embodiment is provided with a rack part r11 on its lower edge, in which a plurality of teeth are arranged to mesh with the gear r9 of the drive part r7. Note that the rotation mechanism section r12 that connects the interlocking arm r6 and the shielding member r1 is configured by, for example, a ball joint.

The drive part r7 is a part that rotates the shielding member r1 with respect to the base part r5 by moving the interlocking arm r6 along the longitudinal direction of the louver device R, and is composed of a drive motor r8, a gear r9, etc. .

The drive motor r8 is a rotary motor that moves the interlocking arm r6 along the longitudinal direction of the louver device R, and has a gear r9 provided on its drive shaft r10. The gear r9 is a spur gear provided with a plurality of teeth along the circumferential direction of rotation of the drive motor r8. The gear r9 constitutes a so-called rack and pinion mechanism by meshing with a rack part r11 provided on the interlocking arm r6, and converts the rotational movement of the drive motor r8 into a linear movement along the longitudinal direction of the louver device R. is converting.

The louver control section R1 is a control circuit that controls the rotation of the drive motor r8 of the drive section r7, and is connected to the drive motor r8. A louver communication unit R2 capable of wireless communication with the control device C is connected to the louver control unit R1, and thereby controls the rotation direction, rotation amount, and rotation of the drive motor r8 according to the control signal acquired from the control device C. Speed etc. can be controlled.

FIG. 8 is a control block diagram of a plant cultivation shelf device 1 that is combined with a louver device R having a light shielding function. Note that the description of the configuration similar to that in FIG. 6 will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 8, the control device C connects from the communication unit C2 to the louver communication unit R2 having a communication function via the network NW, sends a control signal to the louver control unit R1, and controls the drive unit r7. is configured to do so.

The illuminance adjustment section c3 of the plant cultivation shelf device 1 according to this modification can perform the following illuminance adjustment control, for example.
In the first illuminance adjustment control, the control device C compares the illuminance information acquired from the upper illuminance measurement sensor s21, the middle illuminance measurement sensor s22, and the lower illuminance measurement sensor s23 with the set illuminance information, and If it is determined that the illuminance near all the planter containers P is higher than the illuminance set for each planter container P, the louver device R is controlled to be in a shielding state, and the light LS incident on the plant cultivation shelf device 1 is blocked. to shield. This makes it possible to achieve illuminance suitable for plant growth. Conversely, if it is determined that the illuminance near any of the upper, middle, and lower planter containers P is lower than the illuminance set for each planter container P, the louver device R is controlled to be in a transmitting state and the light is transmitted. Transmit at least a portion of the LS. At this time, even if the louver device R is in the transmitting state, if it is determined that the illuminance near any of the upper, middle, and lower planter containers is lower than (does not meet) the illuminance set for each planter container P. Then, any one of the upper LED light (L1), middle LED light (L2), and lower LED light (L3) corresponding to the planter container determined to be insufficient is turned on to compensate for the insufficient illuminance. In addition, when the control device C turns on the illumination part L, the illuminance may be gradually increased to make it brighter, and the illuminance may be determined when the illuminance reaches a set illuminance.

Note that the control device C calculates the integrated illuminance, which is the cumulative total of illuminance, for each planter container P, and calculates the reference integrated illuminance value at a predetermined time (preset in the storage unit of the control device C for each time). The first illuminance adjustment control may be executed by comparing the actual cumulative illuminance value.

The plant cultivation shelf device 1 configured in this manner can satisfactorily compensate for insufficient illuminance, shield when illumination is excessive, and generate electricity using the solar panel. It is possible to precisely achieve illuminance suitable for the growth of plants, and in addition, it can contribute to energy savings.

In the second illuminance adjustment control, the control device C compares the illuminance information acquired from the upper illuminance measurement sensor s21, the middle illuminance measurement sensor s22, and the lower illuminance measurement sensor s23 with the set illuminance information, and If it is determined that the illuminance near any of the planter containers P is higher than the illuminance set for each planter container P, the louver device R is controlled to be in a shielding state and the light entering the plant cultivation shelf device 1 is controlled. Shield LS.

At this time, when the louver device R is in the shielding state, it is determined that the illuminance near any of the upper, middle, and lower planter containers is smaller than (does not meet) the illuminance set for each planter container P. In this case, any one of the upper LED light (L1), middle LED light (L2), and lower LED light (L3) corresponding to the planter container determined to be insufficient is turned on to compensate for the insufficient illuminance. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the illuminance near any one of the upper, middle, and lower planter containers from becoming excessive, and to achieve illuminance suitable for plant growth more preferably. Conversely, if it is determined that the illuminance near all the upper, middle, and lower planter containers is lower than the illuminance set for each planter container P, the louver device R is controlled to be in a transmitting state and the light is transmitted. Transmit at least a portion of the LS. At this time, if it is determined that the illuminance near any of the upper, middle, or lower planter containers is lower than (does not meet) the illuminance set for each planter container P even though the louver device R is in the transmitting state. , any one of the upper LED light (L1), middle LED light (L2), and lower LED light (L3) corresponding to the planter container determined to be insufficient is turned on to compensate for the insufficient illumination. In addition, when the control device C turns on the illumination part L, the illuminance may be gradually increased to make it brighter, and the illuminance may be determined when the illuminance reaches a set illuminance.

The control device C calculates the integrated illuminance, which is the cumulative total of illuminance, for each planter container P, and stores the reference integrated illuminance value at a predetermined time (preset in the storage unit c5 of the control device C for each time). The second illuminance adjustment control may be performed by comparing the actual cumulative illuminance value with the actual integrated illuminance value.

Furthermore, the control device C is configured such that the user can select and execute the first illuminance adjustment control or the second illuminance adjustment control based on the operation information by operating the information terminal C3. It's okay.

<3. Others>
In the embodiment described above, the planter container P has a three-stage structure of an upper stage, a middle stage, and a lower stage, but it may have a structure other than three stages. For example, the number of fixing frames t4, planter containers P, etc. may be increased or decreased to form two stages, four stages or more.

A blower device (such as a circulator) capable of blowing air to the plants 2 is provided near the upper, middle, and lower LED lights L (L1, L2, L3) of the support frame t1, and the control device C controls each blower. It is configured to drive and control the start, stop, and air volume, and is configured so that the air blowing time, air volume, etc. can be set in the control device C according to the type and growth level of the plant, and the plant cultivation shelf device is controlled based on the set information. It is also possible to provide detailed air blowing to each stage of 1.

In addition, a porous pipe capable of ejecting carbon dioxide to the plant 2 is installed near the LED lights L (L1, L2, L3) on the upper, middle, and lower stages of the support frame t1, and carbon dioxide is injected into the porous pipe. A carbon dioxide supply device (having mechanisms such as a carbon dioxide cylinder, a supply pipe, a solenoid valve, and a control panel) is driven and controlled by a control device C, and is configured to control the start, stop, and amount of supply of carbon dioxide. You may. In this case, the control device C is configured to be able to set the supply time, supply amount, etc. of carbon dioxide according to the type and growth level of the plant, and each stage of the plant cultivation shelf device 1 is configured to be set based on the set information. Carbon dioxide may be supplied in a finely tuned manner.

Alternatively, an upper air blower capable of blowing air upward may be provided on the side of the irrigation device K, and the control device C may be configured to drive and control the start, stop, and air volume of air blowing. Furthermore, a CO2 sensor, a temperature sensor, and a humidity sensor may be provided in the vicinity of the planter container P, and based on this measurement information, the control device C may be configured to control an upward blower to blow air upward. For example, when a temperature sensor measures a temperature higher than the set temperature, the upper blower is activated to release the warm air inside the equipment by discharging the warm air to the top (while checking the status of the temperature sensor and humidity sensor, (If CO2 drops below the set value, the air flow is stopped and CO2 application is restarted.) By doing so, more favorable environmental control can be achieved. Moreover, in the case of a humidity sensor, it can be configured to blow air when the humidity is higher than a predetermined humidity. In addition, the control device C monitors the amount of decrease in carbon dioxide concentration per unit time, and when the amount of decrease is greater than a predetermined set value, it determines that photosynthesis is active and applies CO2 through the porous pipe. However, when the above-mentioned temperature and humidity conditions are satisfied, when the upper air blower is blowing air, it may be configured to stop blowing air or suppress the air volume.

The water storage tank k1 is configured to mix liquid fertilizer, and furthermore, a pH sensor, an EC sensor, and a water temperature sensor are provided in the water storage tank k1, and the control device C acquires the measured information as appropriate and stores it in the storage unit c5. , the user may be configured to be able to monitor and check the status of the liquid fertilizer on the display screen of the information terminal C by appropriately transmitting the stored information regarding the liquid fertilizer to the information terminal C3. The control device C may be configured to display a warning (alarm) on the information terminal C when the measurement information cannot be obtained or when the measured value of the measurement information exceeds a predetermined threshold.

In addition, the upper illuminance measurement sensor s21, the middle illuminance measurement sensor s22, and the lower illuminance measurement sensor s23 are used to appropriately control the upper planter container P (P1), the middle planter container P (P2), and the lower planter container P (P3). They may be arranged at different locations.

1 Plant cultivation shelf device b1 Positioning bolt hole b2 Connected part

D Solenoid valve d11 Upper supply solenoid valve d12 Upper drain solenoid valve d21 Middle supply solenoid valve d22 Middle drain solenoid valve d31 Lower supply solenoid valve d32 Lower drain solenoid valve

K Irrigation device k1 Water tank k2 Pump k3 Irrigation controller T Shelf frame t1 Support frame t2 Upper frame t3 Lower frame t4 Fixing frame

S1 Water level gauge S2 Illuminance measurement section

P Planter container p1 Top lid p12 Installation hole p2 Bottom screen part p3 Planter container main body p31 Water supply hole p32 Drainage hole

W Water flow pipe w1 Main pipe w11 Upper branch pipe w12 Upper drain pipe w21 Middle branch pipe w22 Middle drain pipe w31 Lower branch pipe w32 Lower drain pipe

R Louver device r1 Shielding member r2 Rotating shaft r3 Holding part r4 Solar panel r5 Base r6 Interlocking arm r7 Drive part r8 Drive motor r9 Gear r10 Drive shaft r11 Rack part r12 Rotating mechanism part R1 Louver control part R2 Louver communication part

Claims (4)

comprising a shelf frame forming the skeleton of the device, a plurality of planter containers for accommodating plants to be cultivated, and an irrigation device for supplying water to the planter containers,
The plurality of planter containers are fixed to a fixing frame provided in multiple stages vertically on the shelf frame, and are overlapped in the vertical direction by shifting the positions of the respective planter containers in the longitudinal direction of the fixing frame. It is arranged without
The irrigation device includes a water storage tank that stores irrigation water, a pump that pumps up and circulates the water in the water storage tank, and an irrigation controller that controls operation and stop of the pump, and by operating the pump, configured to send water to a water pipe connected to the pump,
In the water pipe, a plurality of branch pipes having electromagnetic valves are respectively connected to the plurality of planter containers,
A plant cultivation shelf device, characterized in that the amount of water supplied to the planter container can be adjusted by controlling opening and closing of the electromagnetic valve by a control device. 2. The fixing frame according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of positioning bolt holes are provided at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the fixing frame so that the fixing frame can be fixed by bolting to the connected portion of the planter container. The described plant cultivation shelf device. a lighting unit that irradiates the plants housed in the planter container with light and controls the illuminance near the planter container;
an illuminance measurement unit that measures illuminance near the planter container,
The lighting unit is configured by disposing an illumination electric lamp in the vicinity of the plurality of planter containers, respectively,
The control device acquires measurement information from the illuminance measurement unit, and lights up an illumination lamp disposed near the planter container that is determined to have an illuminance lower than a preset illuminance for each planter container. The plant cultivation shelf device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plant cultivation shelf device performs lighting/extinguishing control. A shielding state in which the plate surface of the shielding member is disposed vertically without any gaps above the plant cultivation shelf device to block incident light, and a shielding state in which the plate surface of the shielding member is inclined with respect to the vertical direction and the board A louver device is disposed that can switch between a transmitting state and a transmitting state in which the surfaces are arranged to face each other and at least part of the light is transmitted through the louver device,
The control device controls switching of the louver device between a shielding state and a transmitting state by comparing the measurement information acquired by the illuminance measurement unit with illuminance preset in a storage unit for each planter container. The plant cultivation shelf device according to claim 3, characterized in that it is configured as follows.