JP2782669B2 - Young plant holding method and holding device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for gripping a young plant. When transplanting seedlings cultivated in a container to other containers, when washing roots, when grafting,
It is necessary to pull out the young plant from the container and move it to a predetermined position. For example, when grafting a seedling grown on a plug tray as a scion, the seedling is sequentially pulled out from each plug and moved to a position where grafting work is performed. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for gripping a young plant that is cultivated in a container with a pair of claws, pulled out in a gripped state, and moved to a predetermined position in the above case. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, as a means for gripping a young plant, there has been proposed a device comprising a moving actuator, an elevating actuator, an opening / closing actuator, a pair of claws, and a control device for controlling the operation of each of these actuators. (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-211810, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
JP-A-4-187029). In all of these conventional means, a young plant cultivated in a container is gripped with a pair of claws, and is pulled out or cut from the container while being held, and moves to a predetermined position. However, these conventional means have a drawback that, in fact, it often occurs that young plants cannot be grasped one by one.

When transplanting a young plant, washing roots, grafting, etc., it is necessary to grip the stem of the young plant with a pair of claws for the convenience of the subsequent work. For example,
When grafting a seedling as a scion, it is necessary to grip the stem of the seedling at least above the cut portion with a pair of claws. Therefore, in the above-mentioned conventional means, a pair of claws advance from the beginning to a position sandwiching the stem from both sides aiming at the stem of the young plant, and grip the stem. However, for example, when the seedlings are cultivated relatively densely in the plug tray, even if the ground part of the seedling is almost in the center of each plug, its stem is often inclined, When the pair of claws advance toward the stem of the seedling that is assumed to be directly above each plug from the beginning, there is no stem there, or the stem of the seedling cultivated on the adjacent plug For this reason, the pair of claws cannot grasp the seedling, or they grasp two or more seedlings at the same time.

[0004]

The problem to be solved by the present invention is that it often occurs that young plants cannot be grasped one by one by the conventional means.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention relates to a method for grasping a young plant, which comprises the following first step, second step and third step. First step: the pair of claws supported by the moving actuator descend to the position facing the ground portion of the young plant cultivated in the container, and then advance to the position sandwiching the ground portion of the young plant from both sides. Step 2: the pair of claws that have been advanced surround the ground part of the seedling, and then rise to the stem of the seedling. Third step: The pair of nails that have risen are stems of the seedling. Grip the part,
Next, a step of extracting the seedlings

[0006] The present invention also relates to an apparatus for gripping a young plant grown in a container with a pair of claws, pulling out the gripped state and moving it to a predetermined position. A substrate supported by the moving actuator, a raising / lowering actuator mounted on the substrate and moving up and down in two stages, a reciprocating actuator mounted on the raising / lowering actuator, and mounted on the reciprocating actuator. An opening / closing actuator that is closed in two stages, a pair of claws attached to the opening / closing actuator, and a control device that controls the operation of each of the actuators; Is moved forward and backward by the forward and backward actuators to the position sandwiching the base of the young plant from both sides. After the pair of claws surrounding the ground portion of the young plant are raised to the stem of the young plant by the first operation of the actuator for lifting and lowering by the first stage of the closing operation of the first stage, the opening and closing actuator A pair of claws gripping the stem of the young plant by the second stage closing operation, whereby the young plant is pulled out by the second stage upward operation of the lifting actuator. The present invention relates to a gripping device.

An important point in the present invention is that the pair of claws descends to the position facing the ground portion of the young plant → advance to the position sandwiching the ground portion of the young plant from both sides → close one step to the young plant Surround the ground with a margin between the body and the surrounding area → rise one step and rise to the stem of the young plant → one more step (total 2)
Step) Close and grasp the stem of the young plant → Grab the stem of the young plant cultivated in the container in the order described above in order to go up one more stage (total 2 stages) and pull out the young plant, It is in the place where the young plant is pulled out.

Therefore, the pair of claws do not advance from the beginning to the stem of the young plant like the conventional means, but initially advance to the underground portion of the young plant. After being raised to the stalk in the surrounded state, the stalk is gripped. Thus, since the ground portion of the young plant cultivated in the container is almost at a predetermined position, even if its stem is inclined,
The pair of claws can securely grasp the stem, and the young plant can be pulled out of the container.

[0009] In the present invention, the moving actuator moves the pair of claws to a position facing the diagonal front of the young plant cultivated in the container. It is for moving to a position.
As such a moving actuator, there can be used a type in which an arm having a pair of claws is turned by a motor drive or a cylinder drive, or a type in which a base having a pair of claws is laterally moved while being guided by a guide rod. However, a guide rod mounted on the machine frame, a ball screw pivotally supported by the machine frame, a driving motor connected to the ball screw, for example, a pulse motor, the guide rod is slidably fitted, and the ball screw is It is preferable that a base for screwing is provided, and a base on which a later-described lifting actuator is mounted is supported on the base.

More specifically, for example, when a plug tray is placed on an intermittently driven conveyor and young plants are grown on each plug of the plug tray, machine frames are set up on both sides of the conveyor. Then, two guide rods are mounted on the machine frame, and one ball screw is rotatably supported on the frame, and a pulse motor is connected to the ball screw. Then, the substrate is supported on a base on which the two guide rods are slidingly fitted and one ball screw is screwed, and a lifting actuator described later is mounted on the substrate.

In the present invention, the raising / lowering actuator lowers the pair of claws to the ground portion of the container where the young plant is cultivated, and pushes the pair of claws surrounding the ground portion of the young plant to the young. After raising the plant stem by one step, the pair of claws gripping the young plant is further raised one step to pull out the young plant. As such an elevating actuator, a type in which a pair of claws are raised and lowered by driving a motor or driving a cylinder can be used. A cylinder rod is connected to a main cylinder having a cylinder cylinder mounted on a substrate and a cylinder rod of the main cylinder. And a guide bar mounted on the cylinder of the sub-cylinder, and a guide rod erected on the support and slidably fitted on a guide cylinder mounted on the substrate. . In this case, the pair of pawls is lowered by the lowering operation of the main cylinder and the sub-cylinder, and the pair of pawls is raised by one step by the raising operation of the sub-cylinder. To raise.

In the present invention, the forward / backward actuator is for moving the pair of claws forward to a position sandwiching the ground portion of the young plant from both sides. As the advance / retreat actuator, a type in which a pair of claws advance / retreat by motor drive or cylinder drive can be used, but an advance / retreat cylinder in which a cylinder cylinder is attached to a receiving stand of the above-described elevation actuator is preferable.

[0013] In the present invention, the opening / closing actuator encloses the ground of the young plant with a pair of claws, and the pair of claws rises one step up to the stem of the young plant while being surrounded. It is for holding the stem of the plant. As such an opening / closing actuator, a type that opens and closes a pair of claws by motor driving or cylinder driving can be used, and a case attached to the cylinder rod of the above-described advance / retreat cylinder and a case slidably housed in the case are used. A pair of racks, a pinion engaging with the pair of racks, and a drive motor for rotating the pinion, for example, a pulse motor, are preferable. In this case, the pinions are respectively engaged with the pair of racks. It is more preferable that both pinions have different numbers of teeth on the peripheral surface, and that both pinions are attached to the same rotating shaft of the drive motor. The pair of racks is closed one step via the pinion by the first rotation of the drive motor in the first stage, and the second rotation of the drive motor is performed.
One more pair of racks via the pinion due to the forward rotation of the step
Operates step closing.

In the present invention, the pair of claws surround the ground of the young plant and grip the stem of the young plant. When a combination of a pair of racks and a pinion that engages with the pair of racks is used as the opening / closing actuator, one claw is attached to one rack and the other claw is attached to the other rack. In this case, it is preferable that the inner periphery of one of the claws is formed in an arc shape and the inner periphery of the other claw is formed in a V-shape. This is because so-called center alignment is reliably performed. By the closing operation of the first stage of the rack, the pair of claws surround the ground portion of the young plant, and the pair of claws surrounded by the first stage of the raising / lowering actuator are raised to the stem of the young plant. Thereafter, the pair of claws grip the stem of the young plant by the closing operation of the second stage of the rack.

In the present invention, the above-described moving actuator, lifting / lowering actuator, forward / backward actuator, and opening / closing actuator are all connected to a controller, and the operation of each actuator is controlled by a time-dependent command signal from the controller. Is controlled by

[0016]

First, the pair of claws move the young plant cultivated in the container to a position facing obliquely from above by operating the moving actuator. Next, after the pair of claws are lowered to the ground portion of the container by the lowering operation of the lifting / lowering actuator, the pair of claws are advanced to the position sandwiching the ground portion of the young plant from both sides by the forward operation of the forward / backward actuator. . Subsequently, the pair of claws surround the edge of the young plant by the closing operation of the first stage of the opening / closing actuator, and then the pair of claws are raised by the first stage of the raising / lowering actuator in the surrounding state. It rises to the stem of the body. Then, after the pair of claws grip the stem of the young plant by the closing operation of the second stage of the opening / closing actuator, the pair of claws are raised by the second stage of the raising and lowering actuator of the raising / lowering actuator in the gripped state. Pull out from the container.
Lastly, the pair of claws move the young plant to a predetermined position by operating the moving actuator while holding the stem of the young plant pulled out. The following is the repetition, but upon repetition of operation, each actuator returns to the original position.

Even when the seedlings are densely cultivated in a container such as a plug tray, the ground portion of the seedlings is located substantially at the center of each plug, so that the target plug The pair of claws that have advanced forward can reliably surround the ground portion of the young plant. Then, the pair of claws rise to the stalk in the surrounding state, and grip the stalk. Therefore, even if the stalk of the seedling is inclined and not directly above the target plug, or the adjacent plug Even if the stem of the young plant cultivated in the area is inclined and directly above the target plug, it is possible to securely grasp only the stem of the young plant cultivated in the target plug. it can. According to the present invention, the young plants can be grasped one by one without fail.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a side view partially showing the same embodiment as FIG.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the relationship between the opening / closing actuator and the pair of claws of the embodiment shown in FIG. In the illustrated embodiment, a moving actuator is of a type in which a base screwed with the ball screw is laterally moved while being guided by a guide rod by rotation of a ball screw, and a main actuator in which both cylinder rods are connected as a lifting actuator. The cylinder and the sub-cylinder use a combination of a pair of racks and a pinion screwed to them as an opening / closing actuator. A control device for performing the operation is omitted.

Two guide rods 11a,
11b is mounted, and one ball screw 11c is rotatably supported on the machine frame.
Is connected to a pulse motor (not shown). The guide rods 11a and 11b are slidably fitted on the base 11, and the base 1
1 is screwed with a ball screw 11c.

A substrate 21 is supported on the base 11.
The cylinder cylinder 31a of the main cylinder 31 is attached to the substrate 21. The cylinder rod 32 b of the sub cylinder 32 is connected to the cylinder rod 31 b of the main cylinder 31, and the pedestal 33 is attached to the cylinder cylinder 32 a of the sub cylinder 32. The pedestal 33 has two guide rods 33
a, 33b are erected and guide rods 33a, 33b
Are slidably fitted on guide cylinders 21a and 21b attached to the substrate 21.

A cylinder cylinder 41a of an advance / retreat cylinder 41 is attached to the receiving table 33, and a case 51 is attached to a cylinder rod 41b of the advance / retreat cylinder 41. Two guide rods 51a and 51b extend from the case 51, and the guide rods 51a and 51b are slidably fitted on a guide cylinder (not shown) attached to the receiving base 33.

A pair of racks 52a and 52b guided by rails (not shown) are accommodated in the case 51, and the racks 52a and 52b have pinions 53 having different numbers of peripheral teeth.
a and 53b are engaged respectively, and the pinion 53
Reference numerals a and 53b are attached to the same rotating shaft 54a of the pulse motor 54.

The rack 52a has one claw 61a attached thereto, and the rack 52b has the other claw 61b attached thereto.
The claw 61b is composed of two pawls provided with a gap, and the pair of claws 61a and 61b are taken out of the case 51. One of the claws 61a has an inner periphery formed in an arc shape, the other claw 61b has an inner periphery formed in a V-shape, and the claw 61a enters the gap between the two claws 61b. ing.

In the illustrated embodiment, the lateral movement of the base 11 → the lowering operation of the main cylinder 31 and the sub-cylinder 32 → the forward operation of the advancing / retreating cylinder 41 (the pair of claws 61a, 61b are located at the ground-edge portions of the young plant body). Of the racks 52a, 52b in the first stage (the pair of claws 61a, 61).
b surrounds the ground portion of the young plant) → ascending operation of the sub-cylinder 32 (the pair of claws 61a, 61b rise to the stem of the young plant in the surrounding state) → the second stage of the racks 52a, 52b Closing operation (the pair of claws 61a and 61b grip the stem of the young plant)
→ Lifting operation of the main cylinder 31 (the pair of claws 6
1a and 61b pull out the young plant from the container) → Base 1
1 lateral movement (moving the extracted young plant to a predetermined position)
Operation order.

[0025]

As is clear from the above, the present invention described above can be applied to the plantlets even if the plantlets are cultivated densely and the stems of the plantlets are inclined. This has the effect that it is possible to securely hold the individual pieces one by one.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the same embodiment as FIG. 1 with a part thereof omitted;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view partially showing a relationship between an opening / closing actuator and a pair of claws according to the same embodiment as FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... base, 11a, 11b, 33a, 33b, 5
1a, 51b: guide rod, 11c: ball screw, 21: substrate, 31: main cylinder, 32 ...
・ Sub cylinder, 33 ・ ・ ・ Cradle, 41 ・ ・ ・ Advancing / retracting cylinder, 51 ・ ・ ・ Case, 52a, 52b ・ ・ ・ Rack, 53a, 53b ・ ・ ・ Pinion, 61a, 61b ・
··nail

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hideo Akutsu 2557-6 Oji Terakotsu, Nishinasuno-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi Prefecture (56) References JP-A-64-67132 (JP, A) JP-A-2-295418 ( JP, A) JP-A-5-207819 (JP, A) JP-A-6-189628 (JP, A) JP-A-7-31281 (JP, A) JP-A 8-23775 (JP, A) 1974-4972 (JP, Y1) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A01G 1/00-1/06 A01G 7/00 A01G 23/00-23/04 A01G 31/00- 31/02

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method for grasping a young plant, comprising the following first, second and third steps. First step: the pair of claws supported by the moving actuator descend to the position facing the ground portion of the young plant cultivated in the container, and then advance to the position sandwiching the ground portion of the young plant from both sides. Step 2: the pair of claws that have been advanced surround the ground part of the seedling, and then rise to the stem of the seedling. Third step: The pair of nails that have risen are stems of the seedling. Grip the part,
Next, a step of extracting the seedlings 2. A holding device for a young plant, which holds a young plant cultivated in a container with a pair of claws, pulls out while holding the young plant, and moves to a predetermined position. A substrate supported by the actuator for lifting, a lifting actuator mounted on the substrate and raised in two steps, a reciprocating actuator mounted on the lifting actuator, and a two-step mounted on the reciprocating actuator An opening / closing actuator for closing operation, a pair of claws attached to the opening / closing actuator, and a control device for controlling the operation of each of the above actuators; The forward movement of the actuator advances the seedling body to the position sandwiching the ground portion of the young plant from both sides, and continues to the first stage of the opening / closing actuator. After the pair of claws surrounding the ground portion of the young plant are raised to the stem of the young plant by the first raising operation of the raising and lowering actuator by the closing operation, the closing operation of the second stage of the opening and closing actuator is performed. A pair of claws gripping the stem portion of the young plant so that the young plant is pulled out by the second raising operation of the raising / lowering actuator. 3. The moving actuator according to claim 2, wherein the base to be screwed with the moving actuator moves while being guided by the guide rod by rotation of the ball screw, and the substrate is mounted on the base. A device for holding young plants. 4. A main cylinder having a cylinder cylinder attached to a substrate, a sub cylinder having a cylinder rod connected to a cylinder rod of the main cylinder,
And a pedestal attached to a cylinder cylinder of the sub-cylinder, wherein the pedestal moves up and down while being guided by the guide rod with respect to the substrate by an elevating operation of the main cylinder and / or the sub-cylinder. Item 5. The apparatus for grasping a young plant according to item 2 or 3. 5. The holding apparatus for a young plant body according to claim 4, wherein the forward / backward actuator is a forward / backward cylinder whose cylinder cylinder is attached to a receiving table. 6. A case in which an opening / closing actuator is attached to a cylinder rod of an advance / retreat cylinder, a pair of racks slidably housed in the case, a pinion engaging with the pair of racks, and the pinion. The holding device for a young plant body according to claim 5, further comprising: a drive motor for rotating the holding member. 7. A pinion is engaged with each of a pair of racks, and both pinions have different numbers of teeth on their peripheral surfaces, and both pinions are mounted on the same rotating shaft of a drive motor. An apparatus for gripping a young plant according to the above. 8. The young plant according to claim 6, wherein one of the claws and the racks forming each pair is attached to one rack, and the other nail is attached to the other rack. Body gripping device. 9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein one of the inner circumferences of the pair of claws is formed in an arc shape, and the other is formed in a V-shape.