JP2975280B2 - Transport unit for leafy vegetables - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a leaf vegetable transport unit, and more particularly, to a leaf vegetable growing state,
The present invention relates to a leaf vegetable transport unit capable of maintaining the appearance and freshness during transport or transport.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known a cultivation / shipping container that can be used as a cultivation container for growing shelled radish and used as a transport container for shipping grown shelled radish. According to this type of cultivation and transport container, for example,
JP-A-56-167959, JP-A-60-273
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 21 and the like, the shell radish grows in the container, and when the shell radish grows sufficiently, the container is shipped together with the shell radish. The container has an internal space capable of growing shell radish in an amount suitable for shipping, and has a height capable of accommodating a sufficiently grown shell radish.

[0003]

The present inventor has developed a novel hydroponic cultivation method for leafy vegetables (hereinafter referred to as leafy vegetables) mainly using leaves as food. According to the hydroponic cultivation method developed by the inventor of the present application, it is possible to cultivate leaf vegetables exhibiting extremely good growth conditions, appearance, and the like by appropriately controlling the growth conditions such as the spacing between planted leaves. However, since a packaging means or a transportation means suitable for the leafy vegetables has not been developed yet, it is not possible to appropriately package the leafy vegetables when shipping the leafy vegetables thus cultivated. For this reason, the inventor of the present application states that the growing state, appearance, and
Freshness is lost during the transportation or distribution and sales process, and as a result,
A problem has been encountered in that leaf darkening, breakage or crushing, etc., which causes the commercial value of leaf vegetables to be lost or reduced, occurs. The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and the purpose thereof is to maintain the growing state of leaf vegetables, appearance, and further, a state of good freshness during transportation or transportation, and to improve the commercial value. It is an object of the present invention to provide a leaf vegetable transport unit that can supply high leaf vegetables to consumers.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a leaf vegetable having a root container capable of storing a hydration solution and a leaf-part wrapping material made of a translucent material. Is provided. The root container is
A container portion for storing the root portion of the leafy vegetables and capable of storing the hydration liquid, and a top wall portion having a root portion insertion means capable of inserting the root portion of the leafy vegetables, wherein the root portion insertion means includes a stem portion of the leafy vegetables. Has a flexible tongue for elastically holding the tongue. Further, the leaf portion packaging material is made of a transparent sheet material, has an opening through which a stem portion of leafy vegetables can be inserted in a central region, and has a plurality of outwardly extending flap portions. The length of each flap portion is set so as to cover substantially half of the leaf portion and allow the tips of the opposing flap portions to overlap each other on the upper surface of the leaf portion. Further, the width of each flap portion is set to a width such that when the leaf portion is covered, a ventilation opening is formed between adjacent flap portions. According to the transport unit having such a configuration, the root storage container replenishes water to the roots, maintains a good growth state of the leaf vegetables, grasps the stem portion of the leaf vegetables by the flexible tongue, The position and orientation of the leafy vegetables are kept at the time of shipment and during transportation. On the other hand, the leaf part packaging material protects the leaf parts with each flap and prevents the leaf parts from being damaged, thereby maintaining a good appearance of the leaf parts. In addition, the leaf portion packaging material having translucency and air permeability after packaging provides natural light or artificial light required for maintaining photosynthesis and freshness of leaf vegetables to the leaf portion, and ensures ventilation of the leaf portion.

[0005] In one embodiment of the present invention, the root container includes a container body and an upper lid, and a plurality of cuts or cutting lines at predetermined angular intervals are formed on the top wall of the upper lid. The flexible tongues are formed so as to intersect at a central region of the wall, and these cuts or cut lines define the flexible tongue. Preferably, the root container is a disposable transparent plastic container. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the leaf-part wrapping material comprises a sheet of stretched polypropylene 50 microns thick, which is deployable and bendable, flexible, and of reasonable stiffness and shape to prevent leaf damage. Holding property.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a root storage container constituting a transport unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a developed plan view showing a packaging material for packaging the leaf portion of leafy vegetables. It is. The packaging material forms a transport unit together with the root container. As shown in FIG. 1, the root housing container 1 includes a circular container body 2 having an open top, and an upper lid 5 fitted into the opening of the container body 2. The container body 2 includes a cylindrical outer peripheral wall 3 slightly expanding upward and an outer peripheral wall 3.
And a circular bottom portion 4 connected to a lower end of the container body 2, and a water replenishing solution or a nutrient solution W such as water, nutrient-added water, liquid fertilizer, or cultivation solution can be stored in the container body 2. Top lid 5
Includes an outer peripheral edge 6 fitted to a lip portion 3a (see FIG. 3) formed on an upper edge of the container body 2, and a top wall 7 extending inward of the outer peripheral edge 6, and a plurality of cuts or A cutting line 8 (four cutting lines 8 in this example) is formed at the center of the top wall 7. The cutting lines 8 are arranged at predetermined angular intervals (in this example, at 45 ° intervals), the cutting lines 8 intersect each other at the center of the upper lid 5, and a triangle is formed between the cutting lines 8. A shaped flexible tongue 9 is formed. The container body 2 and the upper lid 5 are transparent plastic containers, and are formed of a molded product such as vinylidene chloride or A-polyester having a thickness of 180 to 200 microns. The container body 2 and the upper lid 5 may be opaque plastic containers.

As shown in FIG. 2, the packaging material 10 is made of a transparent flexible sheet material shaped like a cross or a star.
The packaging material 10 includes a stem insertion hole 16 formed in the center.
And a plurality of flaps 12 (four flaps 12 in this example) extending radially outward at predetermined angular intervals (an angle interval of 90 degrees in this example). The side edges of each flap 12 extend radially outward so as to define the flap 12 in a tapered shape, and are bent slightly inward at the distal end. It is terminated by an equilateral triangular tip portion 14. The side edges of the adjacent flaps 12 are connected at an angle of about 110 to 120 degrees (about 115 degrees in this example), and the apex angle of the tip 14 is an angle of 80 to 100 degrees (this example). Then, about 90 degrees)
Is set to The length of the flaps 12 is set to a length that allows the pair of flaps 12 located on a diagonal line to bend upward and the tip portions 14 to overlap one another up and down. The packaging material 10 is a transparent plastic sheet, for example, a stretched polypropylene sheet having a thickness of 50 microns. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a procedure for packing leafy vegetables using the root storage container 1 and the packaging material 10, and FIGS. 4 and 5 are longitudinal cross-sectional views showing a packaging state of leafy vegetables using the root storage container 1 and the packaging material 10. It is a front view and a perspective view.

[0008] A water replenishing liquid W such as water, nutrient-added water, liquid fertilizer, or cultivation liquid is put into the container body 2 of the root container 1 to a predetermined level. Until the stem portion S of the leaf vegetable P penetrates the stem insertion hole 16, the root portion R of the leaf vegetable P is packed with the packaging material 10.
Through the stem insertion hole 16. Further, the root R of the leaf vegetable P is pressed against the center of the upper lid 5, the flexible tongue 9 is displaced downward and pushed downward, and a root insertion hole is formed at the center of the upper lid 5. After the root R is passed through the root insertion hole until the stem S penetrates the root insertion hole, the upper lid 5 is attached to the lip 3 of the container body 2.
a. The stalk S is elastically gripped by the plurality of flexible tongues 9, thereby being positioned at the center of the upper lid 5 and being prevented from being pulled out from the root insertion hole.
A substantially upright posture can be maintained. Packaging material 1
0, each of the flaps 12 is bent upward, and the tip 14 is displaced diagonally inward.
Lay each other up and down. The tip portions 14 thus superimposed on each other at the center of the upper surface of the leaf portion L are stapled,
They are locked to each other by a locking tool such as an adhesive tape, an adhesive, a clip or an adhesive material. FIG. 4 shows a pair of tip portions 14.
Only the other end portions 14 are not shown in the figure.

[0009] As a result of packaging the leafy vegetables P in this manner,
The root portion R of the leaf vegetable P is immersed in the hydration replenishing liquid W stored in the container body 2, and the water and the like necessary for growth are supplied to the leaf vegetable P during transportation or transportation. In addition, the leaf portion L is wrapped with a translucent packaging material 10, and natural light or artificial light required for photosynthesis is given to the leaf vegetable P. Further, FIG.
As shown in FIG.
Is formed, and air permeability between the external environment and the leaf portion L in the packaging material 10 is ensured. Thus, according to the root container 1 and the packaging material 10 having the above-described configuration, it is possible to secure moisture, light, ventilation, and the like necessary for growing the leaf vegetables P at the time of shipment and during transportation, and the upper leaves of the leaf vegetables P Good appearance and freshness of the field (leaf portion L) can be maintained. Further, the packaging material 10 is made of a sheet material having appropriate flexibility and rigidity, and can prevent damage to the leaf portion L in a good condition.

[0010]

According to the present invention, a leaf vegetable transport unit comprises a root container for replenishing water to the root and holding a desired position and posture of the leaf vegetable, photosynthesis and freshness of the leaf vegetable, and ventilation. According to such a transport unit, the growing state of leaf vegetables, the appearance, and further, the state of good freshness is maintained during transportation or transportation, and leaf vegetables having high commercial value Can be supplied to consumers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a root storage container constituting a transport unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a developed plan view showing a packaging material for packaging a leaf portion of a leaf vegetable.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a procedure for packaging leafy vegetables using the root container and the packaging material shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a packaging state of leafy vegetables with the root container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a packaging material.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a packaged state of leafy vegetables with the root container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a packaging material.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Root accommodation container 2 Circular container main body 3 Cylindrical outer peripheral wall 4 Circular bottom 5 Top lid 6 Outer rim 7 Top wall 8 Cutting line 9 Flexible tongue 10 Packaging material 12 Flap 14 Tip 16 Stem insertion hole W Water replenishing liquid P leaf vegetable R root S stem L leaf

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A root storage container capable of storing a hydration liquid and a leaf portion packaging material made of a light-transmitting material, wherein the root storage container can store a root portion of leafy vegetables and a hydration liquid. A container portion, and a top wall portion having root insertion means capable of inserting the root portion of the leaf vegetables, wherein the root insertion portion has a flexible tongue for elastically holding the stem portion of the leaf vegetables. The leaf portion wrapping material is made of a transparent sheet material, has an opening through which a stem portion of a leaf vegetable can be inserted in a central region, has a plurality of outwardly extending flap portions, and has a length of each flap portion. The length is set to a length that covers substantially the half of the leaf portion and allows the tips of the opposing flap portions to overlap each other on the upper surface of the leaf portion, and the width of each flap portion is For ventilation between adjacent flaps when covered Transport unit leafy vegetables, characterized in that it is set to a width as the mouth is formed. 2. The root housing container includes a container body and an upper lid, and a plurality of cuts or cutting lines at predetermined angular intervals intersect with a top wall of the upper lid in a central region of the top wall. The leaf vegetable transport unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible tongue is defined by these cuts or cut lines. 3. The container according to claim 2, wherein said root container is made of a disposable transparent plastic container.
A transport unit for leafy vegetables according to the above. 4. The flap portion of the leaf part packaging material,
4. The leaf vegetable transport unit according to claim 1, wherein the leaf vegetable transport unit according to claim 1, comprising a deployable and bendable flexibility and a suitable rigidity and shape retention for preventing damage to the leaves. .