JP3204863B2 - Multi-stage cultivation equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-stage cultivation apparatus suitable for cultivating plants for harvesting fruits such as Cucurbitaceae, Solanaceae and Rosaceae.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, greenhouse cultivation of fruits and vegetables (vegetables such as eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, and makuwauri) whose fruits are edible and fruit trees has been actively performed. In such greenhouse cultivation, a method of planting seedlings in the soil is performed similarly to open-field cultivation. On the other hand, a cultivation method using a cultivation bed (cultivation floor) in which a cultivation container is filled with a medium such as rock wool is also used. Has been adopted. When cultivating fruits and vegetables by using a cultivation bed, plant seedlings in a cultivation bed placed on the ground, grow the seedlings upwards, and set fruit in multiple stages of inflorescences to achieve the highest possible yield. After the harvest. For example, for tomatoes, usually 5,
It is common practice to produce and harvest up to six-stage flower clusters.

[0003] In the cultivation of this tomato up to the fifth or sixth stage flower cluster, two crops are generally used per year. In other words, one cycle from the planting of this field to the end of the harvest is one cycle. After the first crop, a fixed rest period (one week to one month) is provided for clearing remaining trees and disinfecting the cultivation bed. to go into. Even if this rest period is shortened as much as possible, the seedlings of the next crop are planted at the same time as the end of the previous crop, and cultivation is carried out to the highest possible level. In addition, since the fruit harvesting period is usually before or after the flowering period of the five-stage fruit cluster, there is a loss period in which fruit cannot be harvested after planting until the first fruit can be harvested.

[0004]

Therefore, in such a cultivation method, the loss period from the permanent planting of this field to the start of harvest is long, and the harvest period is limited. Was desired.

[0005] To meet this need, there is a long-stage cultivation method in which there is a loss period at first, but continuous cultivation and growth to 30 or more flower clusters. However, in the long-stage cultivation method, the growth of foliage and flowering / fruiting / hypertrophy progress simultaneously, so that it is necessary to manage the fertilization while maintaining a balance between vegetative growth and reproductive growth. Such fertilizer management is extremely difficult, and the success or failure depends largely on the technical skills unique to the producer. Therefore, such a long-stage cultivation method is too labor-intensive,
It is not suitable for automation of fertilizer management or large-scale cultivation.

The present inventor has solved the above-mentioned problem by
First, a plant cultivation method that is suitable for automation and labor saving of cultivation work and large-scale cultivation while being able to continuously and stably ship for a long period of time and easily manage fertilization is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 6-66540.
No. is proposed. In such a cultivation method, a cultivation bed (cultivation container) is supported at at least two positions of an upper tier and a lower tier, a cultivation bed is arranged in each tier, a plant is cultivated until a predetermined growth process, and then the cultivation bed is sequentially set. The cultivation bed is moved to the lower stage, the lowermost cultivation bed is removed, and a new cultivation bed is replenished and arranged on the uppermost vacant stage. According to such a method, continuous harvesting becomes possible and the yield increases, and since the harvesting time is not concentrated at one time, the working labor is dispersed, and as a result, the working efficiency is improved. .

[0007] However, in order to carry out such a method, it is necessary to move the cultivation bed, but it is not efficient if all the moving work is performed manually.

Further, in the above-mentioned cultivation method, the upper shelves and cultivation beds are shaded with respect to the plants growing on the cultivation beds arranged in the lower tier, and the sunshine conditions are inferior to those of the upper tier cultivation beds. However, even in that case, it is needless to say that it is desirable that the sunshine conditions be as good as possible.

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a multi-stage cultivation apparatus capable of efficiently moving a cultivation bed required for carrying out the cultivation method described above. Aim. Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-stage cultivation apparatus which can minimize the interruption of sunlight to plants growing in a lower cultivation container and is suitable for the cultivation method described above.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a multi-stage cultivation apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a support member provided with a plurality of support means for a cultivation container having a predetermined length in a vertical direction; Cultivation that is detachable and movable in the up-down direction and that holds a cultivation container supported by the upper support means and can be moved to a support means located below the upper support means. And a cultivation container transfer member provided with a container holding means.

[0011] In this case, the support member is connected to the cultivation container via a hanging line and is disposed along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container so as to be positioned above the cultivation container as support means for the cultivation container. Supporting a rod-shaped cultivation container hanging member,
It is possible to use a pole having a rod-shaped member provided so as to protrude in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container, on a column arranged substantially vertically. Further, the support member may be configured such that a container support member capable of supporting the vicinity of an end portion of the cultivation container is provided on a column disposed substantially vertically, as support means for the cultivation container.

[0012] The support member has a container support member capable of supporting the vicinity of an end of the cultivation container on a column disposed substantially vertically as support means for the cultivation container, and is located above the cultivation container. And a rod-shaped member provided so as to protrude in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container, and the rod-shaped member has a substantially rod-shaped cultivation container suspension that is not connected to the cultivation container via a suspension line. A lowering member may be supported, and one end may be connected to an appropriate position of the cultivation container hanging member, and may have an induction line for inducing the growth direction of the plant hanging down toward the cultivation container.

When the cultivation container holding means of the cultivation container transfer member holds the cultivation container, the cultivation container hanging member and / or
Or what is provided so as to be accessible to the cultivation container can be used.

The cultivation container transfer member is preferably provided so as to be movable on the side of the support member along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container. For example, the cultivation container transfer member is provided on the base surface on the side of the support member. A guide member is provided along the longitudinal direction,
The cultivation container transfer member can be moved along the guide member. In this case, the base portion of the cultivation container transfer member can be moved in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first base portion moving along the guide member and the moving direction of the first base portion. It is preferable that the cultivation container holding member of the cultivation container transfer member is provided so as to be separated from and attached to the cultivation container by moving the second base portion. .

Further, the multistage cultivation apparatus of the present invention has a liquid receiving port at one end and an appropriate number of small holes in a peripheral wall, and is provided for culturing a culture medium installed in a cultivation container along a longitudinal direction. A liquid supply pipe for supplying a liquid, and a culture for supplying a culture solution to the liquid supply pipe, the tip of which is provided so as to face the liquid reception port without being connected to the liquid reception port of the liquid supply pipe. A liquid supply system having a liquid supply pipe, a drainage pipe provided so as to project from the cultivation container, and a drainage pipe provided so as not to be connected to the drainage pipe. And a liquid system.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A multi-stage cultivation apparatus according to the present invention will be described below based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a multi-stage cultivation apparatus of the present embodiment, which includes a support member 2, a cultivation container 3, a cultivation container transfer member 7, and the like.

The support member 2 is provided upright on a base surface such as the ground or suspended from a beam of a greenhouse, and is disposed substantially vertically. And a container support member 22 which is a support means of the cultivation container 3 which protrudes toward the column 21 disposed opposite to the support member and is provided so as to be able to support the vicinity of one end of the cultivation container 3, and each container support member. And a bar-shaped member 23 fixedly disposed on the support column 21 so as to protrude in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container 3 above the cultivation container 3.

The rod 23 also functions as a support for the cultivation container 3. This is because the rod-shaped member 23 is provided to support the cultivation container hanging member 5 provided to be connected to the cultivation container 3 as described later. Therefore, in the present embodiment, two means, the container support member 22 and the rod-shaped member 23, are provided as the support means for the cultivation container 3, but a configuration having only one of the means may be employed.

However, when only the rod-shaped member 23 is provided, a hanging wire 4 described later for connecting the cultivation container 3 and the cultivation container hanging member 5 is required. Further, only the container support member 22 may be used as the support means, but even in this case, the cultivation container hanging member 5 and the cultivation container suspending member 5 are used as means for holding an end portion of an induction wire 6 described below for attracting the plant in a predetermined growth direction. The rod-shaped member 23 can also be used.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the container support member 22 is provided so as to protrude toward the column 21 disposed opposite thereto. It can also be provided so as to protrude toward the passage provided. In addition, the pillar 21 does not need to be provided separately, and an existing pillar or the like constituting the greenhouse can be used.

In the present embodiment, the container supporting members 22 are provided at three places in order to carry out three-stage cultivation. The container supporting member 22 preferably has a small area in a range that does not impair the stability, in order to reduce the interruption of sunlight to the cultivation container 3 disposed in the lower stage. Even if the area is small to some extent, the cultivation container can be supported only by the cultivation container hanging member 5 supported by the rod-shaped member 23 provided on the support member 2, and there is no problem in stability.

Each of the rod-shaped members 23 is provided above the container supporting member 22 at intervals corresponding to the height of the plant to be cultivated. In this embodiment, the middle and lower bar-shaped members 2
3 are disposed above the upper and middle container support members 22, respectively, but may be below the upper and middle container support members 22. In addition, both side portions 23 a and 23 b of the respective bar-shaped members 23 that sandwich the column 21 function as support portions for the cultivation container hanging member 5. Here, a relay bar 24 is disposed between the middle bar 23 and the lower bar 23. This means that when the cultivation container 3 is transferred from the upper stage to the middle stage, the cultivation is performed by arranging a new cultivation container suspension member 5 on the middle bar member 23 as the height of the plant increases. However, in order to temporarily secure the installation place of the cultivation container hanging member 5 used in the upper stage for the time being immediately after the transfer, and, in some cases, until the height of the plant is increased to some extent,
It is provided so that the cultivation container hanging member 5 used in the upper stage can be used as it is.

The rod 23 and the relay rod 24
The shape of the cultivation container hanging member 5 is not limited, but is preferably formed to have a substantially L-shaped cross section as in this embodiment so that the cultivation container hanging member 5 can be easily held.
It is preferable to provide a substantially U-shaped notch at a portion where the contact is made.

The cultivation container 3 is formed of a long box-like body having a rectangular cross section, a semicircular cross section, or the like. The plant may be filled with a medium such as rock wool in the entire cultivation container 3 and planted. However, since the cultivation container 3 is to be transferred, it is preferable that the amount of the medium is as small as possible and the weight is reduced. It is preferable that plants are planted in a medium having a predetermined shape, such as a cube-shaped rock wool, and the plants are arranged in the cultivation container 3 at predetermined intervals.

The cultivation container hanging member 5 is a rod-shaped member, and is provided so as to extend over both sides 23a and 23b of the rod-shaped member 23 provided on the support member 2 as described above. In the present embodiment, a hanging wire 4 made of a wire or the like is provided near each end and connected to the cultivation container 3, whereby the cultivation container 3 is stably held as described above. More specifically, two cultivation container hanging members 5 are used in each stage, and the position from each of the side portions 23a and 23b of the rod-shaped member 23 whose distance from the support 21 is substantially equal ( Specifically, since the two suspension lines 4 are disposed in the above-described substantially U-shaped notch, the two suspension lines 4 are extended in a substantially V shape including the container support member 22. That is, since the cultivation container 3 is supported at three points of the upper end of each hanging wire 4 and the container support member 22, even if the area of the container support member 22 on which the cultivation container 3 is placed is small, stability is maintained. Will be secured.

The cultivation container hanging member 5 moves together with the cultivation container 3, that is,
Since it is necessary to be able to be inserted between the support columns 21, it is formed with a length shorter than the distance between the columns 21.

When the cultivation container 3 is located on the upper stage, the height of the plant is not necessary because it is low. However, when the cultivation container 3 is transferred onto the middle container support member 22 and the lower container support member 22, the height is lower. Cultivation container hanging member 5 to assist the growth and stabilize the growth direction.
In accordance with the number of cultivated plants, the inducing line 6 can be hung down.

Here, a liquid supply system for supplying a culture solution to the culture medium includes a liquid supply main pipe (not shown) and a culture liquid supply pipe 2.
5 and a liquid supply pipe 26. The culture solution supply pipe 25 is connected to a liquid supply main pipe (not shown) buried in the ground, and is fixedly provided along the column 21. In the present embodiment, three culture solution supply pipes 25 are provided corresponding to the respective cultivation vessels 3 arranged in the upper, middle, and lower stages. Cultivation container 3
It faces the liquid receiving port 26a provided at the end of the liquid supply pipe 26 disposed therein. As described above, the liquid supply pipe 26 has the liquid receiving port 26a formed at one end and the other end closed, and has an appropriate number of small holes 26b (see FIG. 2) in the peripheral wall. That is, when the culture solution supplied to the liquid receiving port 26a reaches a predetermined amount, it is released from the small hole 26b and supplied to the culture medium. Further, since the culture solution supplied from the culture solution supply pipe 25 is received at the liquid receiving port 26a which is not directly connected to the tip 25a of the culture solution supply pipe 25, the culture medium 3 is moved. There is no need to remove or reconnect the medium from the culture solution supply tube 25, and it is preferable to use the liquid supply tube 26 and the culture solution supply tube 25 as in the present embodiment for the cultivation apparatus of the present invention.

The drainage system includes a drainage main pipe (not shown), a drainage pipe 27, a drainage receiving port 28, and a drainage discharge pipe 29.
And is configured. Three drain pipes 27 are provided corresponding to the cultivation containers 3 at each stage, similarly to the culture liquid supply pipe 25. Specifically, each end 27a of the container support member 22 on which the end opposite to the end of the cultivation container 3 on the side where the liquid receiving port 26a of the liquid supply pipe 26 is located is placed.
The other end is connected to a drain main pipe (not shown) buried underground.

The culture solution supplied into the cultivation container 3 is supplied to the drainage pipe 27 through the drainage port 28 and drained, but is drained from the cultivation container 3 to the drainage port 28. The liquid supply is
Via the drainage discharge pipe 29 inserted through the other end wall 3a of the cultivation container 3 (that is, the wall on the side mounted on the container support member 22 provided with the drainage receiving port 28). Done. As shown in FIG. 2, the drainage discharge pipe 29 faces from the other end wall 3 a of the cultivation container 3 such that one end faces the inside of the cultivation container 3 and the other end is located above the drainage receiving port 28. It is arranged to protrude outside. Since the drainage receiving port 28 and the drainage discharge pipe 29 are not directly connected in this manner, the drainage receptacle 28 and the drainage discharge pipe 29 are removed or connected when the cultivation container 3 is moved, similarly to the culture liquid supply pipe 25. No work is required, which is suitable for the cultivation apparatus of the present invention.

When a substantially L-shaped pipe is used as the drainage discharge pipe 29 as in this embodiment, the portion protruding from the other end wall 3a of the cultivation container 3 can be rotated in any direction. The height of the drainage inlet 29a of the drainage discharge pipe 29 located in the cultivation container 3 (the distance from the bottom wall of the cultivation container 3 to the drainage inlet 29a) can be changed. The amount of the culture solution remaining in the container 3 can be easily adjusted.

The cultivation container transfer member 7 is provided so as to be detachable from the cultivation container 3 and movable in the vertical direction, and holds the cultivation container 3 to support the lower container support member 22 from the upper container support member 22. Any configuration may be used as long as it has a cultivation container holding member that can be transferred to the member 22.

Here, in the present specification, the detachable connection to the cultivation container 3 means that the cultivation container 3 itself or the cultivation container hanging member 5 supporting the cultivation container 3 is detachably connected to the cultivation container 3 by any means. This means that it is possible, for example, a robot that moves a human arm, and the arm may be separated from and connected to these from any direction, and may hold and hold the cultivation container 3 or the like. . In this embodiment, the cultivation is performed by moving to the lower side of the cultivation container 3 or the lower side of the cultivation container hanging member 5, or to both the lower side of the cultivation container 3 and the lower side of the cultivation container hanging member 5. The configuration is such that the container 3 can be held.

In this case, for example, a rod-shaped cultivation container holding member is provided so as to be able to move back and forth in the piston, and the longitudinal movement and the vertical movement of the cultivation container holding member are controlled by a servomotor or the like, so that a predetermined position can be adjusted. The position of the cultivation container holding member can be freely changed to a different position.

However, in this embodiment, the cultivation container transfer member 7 having a configuration that can be manufactured more easily and at lower cost is used. That is, the cultivation container transfer member 7 includes:
A base 72, a vertical column 73 erected substantially perpendicular to the base 72, and an open end that moves up and down along the vertical column 73, with the open end facing the side of the cultivation container 3. Three substantially U-shaped cultivation container holding members (a first cultivation container holding member 71a, a second cultivation container holding member 71b, and a third cultivation container holding member, which are disposed substantially horizontally toward each other). 71c).

In this embodiment, the first cultivation container holding member 71a is provided so as to be vertically movable independently of the other cultivation container holding members, and the second cultivation container holding member 71b is provided.
The third cultivation container holding member 71c is connected to the third cultivation container holding member 71c by a connecting member 74 so as to be movable up and down together.

The means for moving up and down is not particularly limited, and can be driven by a servomotor or the like as described above. However, in this embodiment, as a simpler means, only a part of the means is used in FIG. Although not shown, the vertical pillar 73
Two pulleys at the top, one of which is the first
Of the drive string connected to the second cultivation container holding member 71b, and the end of the drive string is pulled by a human hand or the like. Using means to pull back,
When one drive string is pulled, the first cultivation container holding member 71a rises, and when the other drive string is pulled, the second cultivation container holding member 71b and the third cultivation container holding member 71c are synchronized. To rise. In this case, furthermore, if the handle is operated by hanging the two drive strings around one handle, the first cultivation container holding member 71a and the second and third cultivation container holding members are provided as necessary. 71b,
71c can be moved up and down in synchronization with each other.

The upper surface of the first cultivation container holding member 71a has a set of two projections 71a1 and 71a2 or 71a3.
And 71a4 are provided at predetermined intervals to support the cultivation container hanging member 5 between the projections of each set.
On the upper surface of the second cultivation container holding member 71b, like the first cultivation container holding member, a set of two projections 71b1 and 71b2 or 71b3 and 7 for supporting the cultivation container hanging member 5 is provided.
In addition to the provision of 1b4, two projections 71b5 and 71b6 for supporting the cultivation container 3 are provided at a substantially central portion at an interval substantially equal to the width of the cultivation container 3. The third cultivation container holding member 71c is provided with only protrusions 71c5 and 71c6 for supporting the cultivation container 3.

The base 72 is formed of a first base 72a and a second base 72a.
And a base portion 72b of the first base portion 72a.
Is a rail 7 as a guide member laid in the work passage.
5 is provided so as to be movable via a roller 72c. The second base portion 72b is engaged with a side end portion 72e of the second base portion 72b in a guide groove 72d provided along a direction substantially orthogonal to the rail 75 in the first base portion 72a. The cultivation container 3 is provided so as to be able to be separated and contacted toward the side portion by sliding. Therefore, when each of the cultivation container holding members 71a to 71c of the present embodiment is separated from and connected to the cultivation container 3 from the side thereof, the cultivation container holding members 71a to 71c are separated from and connected to the cultivation container 3 including the vertical pillar 73 by the movement of the second base portion 72b. become. In this embodiment, the first base portion 72a is connected to the roller 72c.
And the second base portion 72b is moved by sliding. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this case. Also, the cultivation container transfer member 7 is configured to be movable along a work passage provided along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container 3 because the multi-stage cultivation apparatus 1 usually has the cultivation container 3 in a greenhouse. This is because a plurality of cultivation container transfer members 7 can be used for a large number of multi-stage cultivation apparatuses 1 because a plurality of cultivation container transfer members 7 are required along the longitudinal direction.

As the rail 75, a special rail may be separately laid in the work passage.
Usually, a hot water supply pipe is laid to control the temperature in the greenhouse. Therefore, using the hot water supply pipe as a rail is advantageous in terms of cost.

Next, how to use the multi-stage cultivation apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described. First, the upper, middle, and lower container support members 2
It is assumed that a cultivation container 3 is placed on 2 as shown in FIG. For example, when the cultivated plant is a tomato, a seedling that has just been planted is placed in the upper cultivation container 3, and a plant that has reached any of the growing stages up to near the harvest start is placed in the middle cultivation container 3. However, in the lower cultivation container 3, plants that have reached any growth stage after the early fruiting stage are arranged at predetermined intervals in a cubic medium.

When the cultivation container 3 is moved in such a state,
First, the lower cultivation container 3 after the harvest is removed, for example, by hand. At this time, the hanging line 4 is detached from the lower cultivation container 3, the cultivation container hanging member 5 is also removed from the rod 23 together with the hanging line 4, and the lower cultivation container 3 is removed.

Next, the cultivation container transfer member 7 is moved along the rail 75 so as to face the side portion of the cultivation container 3 of the multi-stage cultivation apparatus 1 to be operated. Note that the cultivation container transfer member 7 may be moved before the lower cultivation container 3 is removed, as a matter of course. Then, the first cultivation container holding member 71a is moved up and down to substantially face the cultivation container hanging member 5 disposed in the upper stage. Next, the second base portion 72b is moved forward (first base portion 72b).
a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the a), and inserts the first cultivation container holding member 71a such that the support portion formed by the protrusions 71a1 to a4 is positioned below the upper cultivation container hanging member 5. I do. Next, the first cultivation container holding member 71a inserted below the cultivation container hanging member 5 is raised, and the upper cultivation container 3 is lifted together with the cultivation container hanging member 5;
It is separated from the upper container support member 22.

Here, the second cultivation container holding member 71b
In the same manner as the first cultivation container holding member 71a, the supporting portion formed by the projections 71b1 to b4 has the middle cultivation container hanging member 5 for the middle stage by the forward movement of the second base portion 72b.
And the third cultivation container holding member 71c is inserted so that the support portion formed by the projections 71c5 to c6 is located below the middle cultivation container 3. ing. Therefore, next, the second cultivation container holding member 71b is raised together with the first cultivation container holding member 71a. Thus, the middle cultivation container 3 is also separated from the middle container support member 22.

Next, when the cultivation container holding members 71a to 71c are lowered, the cultivation container 3 is moved downward.
And the position where there is no obstacle to the cultivation container hanging member 5, ie, at least each cultivation container holding member 71a
Are moved backward until the vicinity of the leading ends of .about.71c is positioned closer to the passage than the container supporting member 22. Thereafter, the cultivation container holding members 71a to 71c are synchronously lowered until the third cultivation container holding member 71c is located slightly above the lower container support member 22.

The cultivation container 3 to be placed on the lower container support member 22 is moved forward to the position where the second base portion 72 is almost directly above the lower container support member 22. next,
The second cultivation container holding member 71b and the third cultivation container holding member 71c are lowered, the cultivation container 3 is placed on the lower container support member 22, and the cultivation is performed on the lower bar member 23 of the support member 2. The container hanging member 5 is supported. Next, the first cultivation container holding member 71a is lowered, the cultivation container is placed on the middle container support member 22, and
The cultivation container hanging member 5 is supported by the relay rod-shaped member 24.

As described above, the cultivation containers 3 disposed in the upper and middle tiers can be transferred to the middle and lower tiers, respectively. A new cultivation container is placed as follows.

That is, first, the first base 72a is moved to a place where it is easy to work. Next, after adjusting the height of the first cultivation container holding member 71a to an easily workable level, the cultivation container hanging member 5 and the suspension line 4 have seedlings that have just been planted.
Are supported by placing the cultivation container hanging member 5 on the first cultivation container holding member 71a. Also, the second cultivation container holding member 7
On 1b, a new cultivation container hanging member 5 to which only the hanging wire 4 is attached is placed.

Next, the first base 72a is moved to the working position. The second cultivation container holding member 71b is the supporting member 2
After the height is adjusted so as to be a position corresponding to a position slightly above the bar member 23 in the middle stage, the second base portion 72b is moved forward. The second cultivation container holding member 71b is lowered to be supported by the middle bar-shaped member 23. Similarly, the first cultivation container holding member 71a is lowered to support the cultivation container suspension member 5 of the new cultivation container 3 on the upper bar 23, and the new cultivation container 3 is attached to the upper container support member 22. To support. In addition, the suspension line 4 of the new cultivation container hanging member 5 supported by the middle rod 23 is attached to the middle cultivation container 3 moved as described above. At this time, the cultivation container hanging member 5 supported by the relay rod 24
Remove.

Thus, the transfer operation of the cultivation container in one cultivation apparatus is completed. The cultivation container transfer member 7 is moved along the rail 75, and the above operation is repeated for the cultivation container 3 disposed between the adjacent support members 2.

In the above embodiment, the first cultivation container holding member 71a of the cultivation container transfer member 7 is provided to be vertically movable independently of the second and third cultivation container holding members 71b, 71c. However, the first cultivation container holding member 71
a may also be connected to the second cultivation container holding member 71b, and may be configured to move up and down synchronously. However, in this case, when the upper and middle cultivation containers 3 are transferred to the middle and lower container support members 22, respectively, the movement of the middle cultivation containers 3 is not obstructed as in the above-described embodiment. However, it is not possible to raise only the upper cultivation container 3 beforehand and escape. For this reason, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the upper and middle cultivation containers 3 are simultaneously moved up and down as a matter of course in terms of mechanism. In addition, in the case of such a structure, when a pulley is disposed above the vertical pillar 73 as a means for vertically moving the cultivation container holding members 71a to 71c as described above, one drive string is used. Needless to say, it is only necessary.

In the above embodiment, the rod members 23 in the middle and lower stages are replaced by the container supporting members 22 in the upper and middle stages, respectively.
It is arranged above. Therefore, the position of the cultivation container suspension member 5 for the middle tier is higher than the bottom surface of the cultivation container 3 in the upper tier. For this reason, as described above, when moving the middle-stage cultivation container 3, the upper-stage cultivation container 3 is raised and escaped in advance so that the upper-stage cultivation container 3 is not obstructed, or the upper-stage and the middle-stage cultivation container 3 are synchronized. Need to be moved. Therefore, if the middle bar member 23 is disposed at a position lower than the upper container support member 22, the middle cultivation container 3 can be directly moved without having to raise the upper cultivation container 3 in advance. Can be done. In this case, as shown in the above embodiment, the first cultivation container holding member 71
A cultivation container transfer member 7 having a structure in which a is not synchronized with the second cultivation container holding member 71b is used.

[0053]

According to the multistage cultivation apparatus of the present invention, a cultivation container is supported only by a support member composed of a column and a rod-shaped member and / or a container support member protruding from the column, a suspension line, and a cultivation container suspension member. In other words, since the cultivation container is supported only by a narrow member such as a rod or a string, there are few portions of the cultivation containers arranged in the middle and lower tiers that block light from growing plants. Therefore, the sunshine conditions for the plants growing in the cultivation vessels arranged in the middle and lower tiers are not significantly deteriorated as compared with the case of the upper tiers. On the other hand, despite the structure in which the cultivation container is supported only by such a rod-shaped or string-shaped member, the cultivation container hanging member and the suspension line stretched in a substantially V shape with the cultivation container interposed therebetween, The stability of the cultivation container is sufficient.

Further, since the manual cultivation container is used only when removing the lower cultivation container, the cultivation container can be moved efficiently, which is suitable for multi-stage cultivation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing one embodiment of a multi-stage cultivation apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a structure of a drainage system according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multi-stage cultivation apparatus 2 Support member 21 Prop 22 Container support member 23 Bar-shaped member 25 Culture liquid supply pipe 26 Liquid supply pipe 27 Drain pipe 28 Drainage receiving port 29 Drainage discharge pipe 3 Cultivation container 4 Hanging line 5 Cultivation container suspension member 7 Cultivation container transfer member 71a First cultivation container holding member 71b Second cultivation container holding member 71c Third cultivation container holding member 72 Base 72a First base 72b Second base 73 Vertical column 75 rails

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A01G 31/06 A01G 9/00-9/02

Claims (9)

(57) [Claims] 1. A support member provided with a plurality of support means for a cultivation container having a predetermined length in a vertical direction, provided so as to be detachable from the cultivation container and movable in the vertical direction,
A cultivation container transfer member having a cultivation container holding unit capable of holding a cultivation container supported by the upper support unit and moving the cultivation container to a support unit located below the upper support unit. Multi-stage cultivation apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. A substantially rod-shaped support member is provided along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container as support means for the cultivation container, the support member being connected to the cultivation container via a suspension line and positioned above the cultivation container. The cultivation container hanging member is supported, and a substantially vertically disposed column has a rod-shaped member provided so as to protrude in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container. 2. The multi-stage cultivation apparatus according to 1. 3. The cultivation container supporting means, wherein the cultivation container support means is provided with a container support member capable of supporting the vicinity of an end of the cultivation container on a column disposed substantially vertically.
2. The multi-stage cultivation apparatus according to 1. 4. The support member has a container support member capable of supporting the vicinity of an end of the cultivation container on a column disposed substantially vertically as support means for the cultivation container, and is located above the cultivation container. And a rod-shaped member provided so as to protrude in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container, and the rod-shaped member has a substantially rod-shaped cultivation container suspension that is not connected to the cultivation container via a suspension line. The multi-stage cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lowering member is supported, and one end is connected to an appropriate position of the cultivation container hanging member, and has an induction line for inducing the growth direction of the plant hanging toward the cultivation container. 5. The cultivation container holding means of the cultivation container transfer member is provided so as to be accessible to the cultivation container suspension member and / or the cultivation container when holding the cultivation container.
4. The multi-stage cultivation apparatus according to any one of 4. 6. The multi-stage cultivation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cultivation container transfer member is provided so as to be movable laterally of a support member along a longitudinal direction of the cultivation container. 7. The multi-stage cultivation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a guide member is provided on the base surface on the side of the support member along the longitudinal direction of the cultivation container, and the cultivation container transfer member moves along the guide member. . 8. A base portion of the cultivation container transfer member, wherein the base portion moves along the guide member, and moves in a direction substantially orthogonal to a moving direction of the first base portion. The cultivation container holding member of the cultivation container transfer member is configured to be separated from and attached to the cultivation container by moving the second base portion. apparatus. 9. A liquid supply for supplying a culture solution to a culture medium, which has a liquid receiving port at one end and an appropriate number of small holes in a peripheral wall, and is installed in a cultivation container along a longitudinal direction. A supply tube for supplying a culture solution to the supply tube, the supply end being provided so as to face the liquid reception port without being connected to the liquid reception port of the liquid supply tube; A liquid system, a drainage pipe provided to protrude from the cultivation container,
The drainage system having a drainage pipe provided so as not to be connected to the drainage discharge pipe, The multistage cultivation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising: