JP5713758B2 - Cultivation method and cultivation apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a cultivation method for cultivating a plant by storing a cultivation unit on which a medium for planting a plant is placed in a storage shelf, and a cultivation apparatus using the cultivation method.

  Conventionally, many attempts have been made to cultivate a large amount of plants suitable for forcing cultivation within a short period of time, where there are pesticide spraying, liquid supply, fertilization, sunshine management, etc. on cultivation containers in which the plant has been seeded or planted In order to efficiently perform the above, a configuration is adopted in which the cultivation container is conveyed through the cultivation facility by a moving device such as an endless conveyance device.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, a large number of cultivation pots are transported by an unsupported transport device in a greenhouse divided and divided into a work area where a pesticide spraying room, a irrigation room, and a work room are installed, and a growth area. By doing so, a plant factory has been disclosed that reduces facility costs and facilitates expansion and modification. Moreover, in patent document 2, the container shelf which accommodates the several container for plant cultivation so that access is possible is provided with the collection shelf laminated | stacked in the multistage and the several rows, and the moving apparatus which moves a container from a container shelf, A three-dimensional hydroponic cultivation facility that can appropriately move the container to a place necessary for plant growth is disclosed. Furthermore, in patent document 3, the structure of the cultivation tray transfer mechanism which moves an arbitrary cultivation tray in and out to the cultivation tray accommodation shelf which can accommodate the cultivation tray which grows a plant stock in multiple steps and multiple rows is simplified. It is possible to disclose a plant cultivation apparatus with good space efficiency.

  On the other hand, attempts have been made to cultivate plants more efficiently using the cultivation apparatus as described above. For example, in Patent Document 4, a cultivation tray planted with seed moss and arranged on a shelf in a day / night forming apparatus is alternately moved between a daytime zone in which a fluorescent lamp is lit day and night and a night zone in which no fluorescent lamp is installed. Thus, an artificial cultivating apparatus is disclosed which can appropriately form day and night conditions required for cultivation to reduce cultivation time and equipment cost. Moreover, in patent document 5, the storage pallet of the mushroom cultivation container stored in the multi-row rack installed in each room of the budding room, the growing room, and the suppression room is unloaded from the budding room by the loading conveyor. A warehouse system for cultivation is disclosed in which the growth state is made uniform and the growth state can be easily monitored by transferring from the upper shelf to the lower shelf before being transferred to the suppression room. .

JP 2000-023574 A JP 2000-209970 A Japanese Patent No. 4617395 JP 2000-004672 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-078568

  However, with the techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 5, it was not possible to execute storage and growth of plant seedlings and carry-out for harvesting grown plants as a series of processes.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a situation, The place made into the objective is capable of performing collectively from efficient storage and raising of a plant seedling to carrying out of the grown plant. It is in providing a cultivation method and a cultivation apparatus.

The cultivation method according to the present invention includes a cultivation unit on which a medium for planting plants is placed, a storage shelf for storing the cultivation unit in a plurality of stages and one or a plurality of rows, a storage position of the storage shelf, and the storage shelf. In a method for cultivating the plant with a cultivation device comprising a transfer mechanism for transferring the cultivation unit between a plurality of positions including other positions, the cultivation unit is moved from the first position to the uppermost empty storage position of the storage shelf. A storage process for transferring the cultivation unit to the second position, an unloading process for transferring the cultivation unit stored in the lowermost stage of the storage shelf, and a cultivation position stored in the storage shelf in order from the storage position near the lowermost stage. And a step-down process of transferring to a lower storage position.

  In the cultivation method according to the present invention, the cultivation apparatus includes a stock shelf for stocking an empty cultivation unit, a step of transferring the empty cultivation unit from the stock shelf to the first position, and a transfer in the step. And a step of placing the culture medium in an empty cultivation unit.

  The cultivation method according to the present invention includes a step of taking out the medium from the cultivation unit transferred to the second position in the carry-out step, and an empty cultivation unit from which the medium has been taken out in the step is transferred to the stock shelf. And a step of performing.

  The cultivation method according to the present invention is characterized in that the step of placing the medium and the step of taking out the medium are performed during the daytime.

  The cultivation method according to the present invention is characterized in that the first position and the second position are the same position.

  In the cultivation method according to the present invention, the storage shelf is provided with a liquid supply valve for supplying nutrient solution to the cultivation unit on each of an upper stage, a stage below the upper stage, and a lower stage below the upper stage. The upper liquid supply valve is opened after the storing step, the lower liquid supply valve is closed before the unloading step, and the upper step and the upper step one step below the lower step. The liquid supply valve is closed, and the liquid supply valve in the lower stage and the lower liquid supply valve are opened after the lowering step.

The cultivation method according to the present invention includes a cultivation unit on which a medium for planting plants is placed, a storage shelf for storing the cultivation unit in a plurality of stages and one or a plurality of rows, a storage position of the storage shelf, and the storage shelf. In the method of cultivating the plant with a cultivation device comprising a transfer mechanism for transferring the cultivation unit between a plurality of positions including other positions, the cultivation unit stored in the lowermost stage of the storage shelf is transferred to a predetermined position. A step of taking out the medium from the cultivation unit transferred in the step and placing a new medium, and a step of placing the cultivation unit on which the new medium is placed in the step And a step of sequentially transferring each cultivation unit stored in the storage shelf from a storage position close to the lowest level to a lower storage position.

The cultivation apparatus according to the present invention includes a cultivation unit on which a medium for planting plants is placed, a storage shelf that stores the cultivation unit in a plurality of stages and one or a plurality of rows, a storage position of the storage shelf, and the storage shelf. In a cultivation apparatus provided with a transfer mechanism which transfers the cultivation unit between a plurality of positions including other positions, the transfer mechanism moves the cultivation unit from the first position to the empty storage position at the uppermost stage of the storage shelf. Storage means for transferring, unloading means for transferring the cultivation unit stored in the lowermost stage of the storage shelf to the second position, and each cultivation unit stored in the storage shelf sequentially downward from the storage position near the lowermost stage And a means for transferring to the storage position.

  The cultivation apparatus according to the present invention comprises a stock shelf for stocking an empty cultivation unit, a means for transferring the empty cultivation unit from the stock shelf to a first position, and an empty cultivation unit from the second position as the stock. And a means for transferring to the shelf.

In the present invention, the cultivation unit placed in the first position within the transfer range of the transfer mechanism is transferred to the empty storage position on the upper stage of the storage shelf and stored, and the cultivation unit stored in the lower stage of the storage shelf Are transferred to the second position (the same position as or different from the first position), and each cultivation unit stored in the storage shelf is sequentially transferred from the storage position close to the lowest level to the lower storage position. Do. And the cycle which consists of these accommodation, carrying out, and lowering is repeated suitably.
Thereby, when the cultivation unit in which plant seedlings are planted in the medium is appropriately prepared in the first position, the cultivation unit in which the medium plant is grown by repeating the cycle is moved from the lower stage of the storage shelf to the second position. Be transported.

In the present invention, the cultivation unit is transferred from the first position to the empty storage position at the top of the storage shelf and stored, and the cultivation unit stored at the bottom of the storage shelf is unloaded and transferred to the second position. To do.
As a result, all the storage shelves are used without waste.

In the present invention, an empty cultivation unit on which no medium is placed is unloaded from the stock shelf and transferred to the first position, and the medium is placed on the transferred cultivation unit.
As a result, a cultivation unit in which plant seedlings are planted in the medium is prepared at the first position for each cycle consisting of storing, carrying out, and lowering.

In the present invention, the culture medium is taken out from the cultivation unit that has been unloaded from the lower stage of the storage shelf and transferred to the second position, and the cultivation unit that has been emptied by the removal of the culture medium is transferred to the stock shelf for storage.
Thereby, for every cycle consisting of storing, carrying out and lowering, the culture medium is taken out from the cultivation unit transferred to the second position as appropriate, and the cultivation unit that has become empty is stocked on the stock shelf.

In the present invention, the medium is placed on the empty cultivation unit transferred to the first position and the medium is removed from the cultivation unit transferred to the second position during the daytime.
As a result, part or all of the step-down process that occupies most of the processing time is directed to a time zone other than the daytime. Therefore, when the culture medium is manually placed and removed from the cultivation unit, the You can work without difficulty.

In this invention, the cultivation unit which the plant of the culture medium grew is transferred to the same position as the 1st position where the cultivation unit in which the plant seedling was planted in the culture medium is placed.
Thereby, the preparation for storage of the culture medium in the storage shelf and the processing after unloading are efficiently performed at the same position.

In the present invention, after the cultivation unit is transferred from the first position to the empty storage position in the upper part of the storage shelf and stored, the upper liquid supply valve is opened and the cultivation unit stored in the lower part of the storage shelf is taken out. The lower liquid supply valve is closed before being transferred to the second position, the upper and lower liquid supply valves are closed before the lowering, and after the lowering, the upper one and the lower Open the supply valve.
Thereby, every time the cultivation unit is stored in the upper stage of the storage shelf, the feeding of the nutrient solution to the stored cultivation unit is started, and each time the cultivation unit is carried out from the lower stage of the storage shelf, the nutrient solution for the cultivation unit to be carried out The supply of nutrient solution to all the cultivation units in the row to be lowered is stopped before the lowering, and the supply of nutrient solution to all the cultivation units in the row to be lowered after the lowering. Is resumed.

In the present invention, the cultivation unit stored in the lower stage of the storage shelf is unloaded and transferred to a predetermined position, the medium is taken out from the transferred cultivation unit, a new medium is placed, and the medium is placed The cultivation unit is transferred to and stored in the empty storage position in the upper stage of the storage shelf, and each cultivation unit stored in the storage shelf is sequentially transferred from the storage position close to the lowermost stage to the lower storage position for lowering. And the cycle which consists of these accommodation, carrying out, and lowering is repeated suitably.
Thereby, the cultivation unit in which the plant of the medium has grown by repeating the above cycle is transferred from the lower stage of the storage shelf to a predetermined position, the medium is taken out at the predetermined position, and a new medium on which the seedling is planted is placed. Is done.

According to the present invention, when the cultivation unit in which the seedlings to be stored in the storage shelf are planted in the medium is appropriately prepared at the first position, the cultivation unit in which the plant of the medium has grown is unloaded from the lower stage of the storage shelf. It is transferred to the second position. In addition, the plant growth cycle is continuously repeated by matching the number of storage, unloading, and step-down cycles with the number of steps from the upper stage to the lower stage.
Therefore, it is possible to perform comprehensively from efficient storage and growth of plant seedlings to carrying out grown plants.

It is the perspective view which looked at the cultivation apparatus concerning Embodiment 1 of the present invention from the front upper right. It is a front view of the cultivation apparatus of FIG. It is a top view of the cultivation apparatus of FIG. It is a side view of the cultivation apparatus of FIG. It is a perspective view which briefly shows the support frame which comprises the lower part of a cultivation unit. It is a perspective view which briefly shows the cultivation tray which comprises the upper part of a cultivation unit. It is a perspective view which briefly shows a cultivation unit and a transfer machine. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the liquid supply position and drainage path | route of a nutrient solution in a shelf assembly. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a control part, and a connection structure with a peripheral circuit. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of CPU which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of CPU concerning a storage subroutine. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of CPU which concerns on the carrying-out subroutine. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of CPU which concerns on the step-down subroutine. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of CPU which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of CPU concerning the subroutine of carrying out and storing.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings illustrating embodiments thereof.
(Embodiment 1)
1 is a perspective view of the cultivation apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention as seen from the front upper right, FIG. 2 is a front view of the cultivation apparatus of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the cultivation apparatus of FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view of the cultivation apparatus of FIG. 1. In the figure, 1 is a storage shelf for storing a plurality of cultivation units 5 (see FIG. 7) to be described later, and the storage shelf 1 is a shelf assembly 10 having 15 columns in the vertical direction and 6 columns in the horizontal direction. 10 are arranged side by side in a direction crossing the row direction (the horizontal direction in this case) and connected at their upper portions. On the right side of the shelf assembly 10 located on the rear side, a stock shelf 3 having 12 shelves in the vertical direction is connected to stock empty cultivation units 5 (hereinafter also referred to as storage). On the right side of the shelf assembly 10 located on the front side, a work station 4 is arranged in parallel at a position facing the lowermost stage of the stock shelf 3 for an operator to perform work necessary for plant cultivation.

  Between the shelves 10, 10, a shelf (hereinafter simply referred to as a shelf) at any storage position of the storage shelf 1 and the stock shelf 3 and a transfer mechanism 2 that transfers the cultivation unit 5 between the work stations 4. Is arranged. The transfer mechanism 2 includes four elevating guides 21 standing upright and a transfer machine 22 configured to be movable up and down along the four elevating guides 21. This is a stacker crane which is guided by rails 20 laid on the ground and moves in the row direction (hereinafter simply referred to as row direction) of the storage shelf 1. The transfer machine 22 transfers the cultivation unit 5 bidirectionally between itself and an arbitrary shelf or the work station 4. The movement of the lifting guide 21 including the transfer device 22 in the row direction and the movement of the transfer device 22 in the vertical direction are performed separately using a chain that travels by a driving force of a motor (not shown).

Next, the cultivation unit 5 and the transfer machine 22 will be described.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing a support frame 51 constituting the lower part of the cultivation unit 5, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a cultivation tray 52 constituting the upper part of the cultivation unit 5. These are the perspective views which show schematically the cultivation unit 5 and the transfer machine 22. FIG.

  The support frame 51 shown in FIG. 5 is formed by forming a galvanized steel plate into a rectangular shallow dish shape, and two substantially square punched holes 511 are formed in the longitudinal direction at the bottom. Around each punched hole 511, four ribs 512 formed by bending the peripheral edge upward are provided. The four ribs 512 provided in the direction along the long side of the support frame 51 have notches formed on the sides close to the short sides of the support frame 51, and a nutrient solution described later is punched from the notches. It flows down through 511. Downward hooks 513 formed by bending both ends along the longitudinal direction of the horizontally long metal plate in opposite directions are fixed to the outside of each short side of the support frame 51 by, for example, welding.

  The cultivation tray 52 shown in FIG. 6 is formed by forming a synthetic resin into a rectangular shallow dish shape, and a drainage port 521 for discharging nutrient solution is formed at the bottom near the center of one short side. . A plurality of culture media 6 (four in FIG. 6 and eight in FIG. 7) made of expanded polystyrene are placed on the cultivation tray 52. Each culture medium 6 has a plurality (nine in the drawing) of fitting recesses 61, and leaflet seedlings are planted in the fitting recesses 61, for example.

Moving to FIG. 7, the above-described cultivation tray 52 is supported and integrated by the support frame 51 from below to constitute the cultivation unit 5. The cultivation unit 5 is stored and stocked with respect to the storage shelf 1 and the stock shelf 3, respectively, with the longitudinal direction directed in the front-rear direction.
On the other hand, the transfer machine 22 includes two parallel strips (one strip not shown) 221 that circulates with a driving force of a motor (not shown) and a straight rod-like attachment 222 spanned between the chains 221. Prepare.

  When the cultivation unit 5 is transferred from an arbitrary shelf or work station 4 to the transfer machine 22, the attachment 222 moves parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cultivation unit 5 according to the travel of the chain 221, and is hooked at the position shown in FIG. 513 is engaged from below. Thereafter, the entire cultivation unit 5 is drawn as the chain 221 travels, whereby the cultivation unit 5 is transferred from the shelf or the work station 4 to the transfer machine 22.

  On the contrary, when the cultivation unit 5 is transferred from the transfer machine 22 to an arbitrary shelf or the work station 4, the direction of the transfer destination (for example, the direction where the shelf is seen from the transfer machine 22 in FIGS. 3 and 4). ), The rotation direction of the motor of the transfer machine 22 is determined, and the entire cultivation unit 5 is pushed out from the transfer machine 22 to an arbitrary shelf or the work station 4 side as the chain 221 travels. Thereafter, the replacement is completed when the attachment 222 is detached downward from the hook 513 and the engagement is released. Thus, the direction in which the cultivation unit 5 is drawn or pushed out to the transfer machine 22 and the range thereof are indicated by white arrows.

Next, the supply and drainage of the nutrient solution to the cultivation unit 5 will be described.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory view schematically showing a nutrient solution supply position and a drainage path in the shelf assembly 10. The same applies to the other shelf assemblies 10. The shelf assembly 10 includes a supply pipe 11 for supplying nutrient solution to each of the uppermost stage (15th stage), the lower stage (14th stage) and the lowermost stage (first stage). And a liquid supply valve 12 including an electromagnetic valve for opening and closing the liquid supply pipe 11. The shelf assembly 10 also includes a drainage pipe 13 that discharges the nutrient solution to each of the uppermost stage, the lowermost stage, and the upper stage (second stage) of the lowermost stage. The liquid supply pipe 11 and the drainage pipe 13 are arranged so as to be located on the opposite sides with respect to the front-rear direction of the shelf assembly 10. The cultivation unit 5 is housed in each shelf so that the drainage port 521 is positioned on the drainage pipe 13 side.

  The fifteenth stage liquid supply pipe 11 feeds the nutrient solution through the liquid supply valve 12 from above the longitudinal end of the cultivation unit 5 housed in the fifteenth stage shelf. The nutrient solution discharged from the drainage port 521 of the cultivation unit 5 of the 15th shelf through the punching hole 511 (hereinafter simply referred to as the drainage port 521) is discharged from the 15th drainage pipe 13 Is done. Next, the 14th stage liquid supply pipe 11 supplies the nutrient solution through the liquid supply valve 12 from above the longitudinal end of the cultivation unit 5 housed in the 14th stage shelf. The nutrient solution discharged from the drainage port 521 of the cultivation unit 5 on the 14th shelf is placed on the 13th shelf through the ridge 14 provided between the 14th and the lower (13th). The nutrient solution is supplied from above the one end in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation unit 5 stored in the plant.

  Similarly, the nutrient solution discharged from the drainage port 521 of the cultivation unit 5 on the shelf of the Nth stage (N is an integer from 13 to 2) was provided between the Nth and N-1th stages. The nutrient solution is supplied from above the one end in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation unit 5 housed in the (N-1) -th stage shelf through the ridge 14. The nutrient solution discharged from the drainage port 521 of the cultivation unit 5 in the second shelf is discharged from the second drainage pipe 13. The first-stage liquid supply pipe 11 supplies the nutrient solution through the liquid supply valve 12 from above the longitudinal end of the cultivation unit 5 housed in the first-stage shelf. The nutrient solution discharged from the drainage port 521 of the first-stage shelf cultivation unit 5 is discharged from the first-stage drainage pipe 13.

  In FIG. 8, the cultivation unit 5 has been described as being stored in all the shelves from the first stage to the 15th stage. However, as will be described later, the cultivation units are provided in the respective shelves of the first stage and the 15th stage. When 5 is not stored, the liquid supply valve 12 of each stage may be closed so as not to supply liquid.

The operation of the transfer mechanism 2 is controlled by, for example, a control unit 7 disposed in the work station 4.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 7 and the connection configuration with peripheral circuits. The control unit 7 includes a CPU 71, and the CPU 71 is bus-connected to a ROM 72 that stores information such as programs, a RAM 73 that stores temporarily generated information, and a timer 74 that measures time. The CPU 71 also has an operation display interface 75 for controlling the operation display unit 8 having the LCD 81 and the touch panel 82, and an input / output interface 76 for controlling the movement of the transfer machine 22 and the opening / closing of the liquid supply valve 12. Are connected by bus. The operation display unit 8 is, for example, for receiving an instruction from the operator, and each of the instruction and notification given by the operator from the operation display unit 8 is received as an instruction and notification for processing executed by the CPU 71.

  The input / output interface 76 is driven by three motors that respectively drive two motors that move the transfer machine 22 in the row direction and the vertical direction using a chain (not shown) and a motor that runs the chain 221 by an inverter. A circuit 15 is connected. The input / output interface 76 also includes three rotary encoders 16 for detecting the amount of movement of the transfer device 22 in the row direction and the vertical direction, and the travel amount of the chain 221, and the three liquid supply valves 12, respectively. Are connected to three valve drive circuits 17 for opening and closing the valve.

  Each rotary encoder 16 generates a pulse in accordance with, for example, rotation of a sprocket (not shown) that travels the respective chains described above. The CPU 71 counts pulses generated by the rotary encoders 16 according to the movement of the transfer machine 22 in the row direction and the vertical direction and the travel of the chain 221, thereby moving the transfer machine 22 and the travel of the chain 221. Detect the amount. The CPU 71 controls each motor drive circuit 15 so that these detected values become target values, thereby freely controlling the moving amount of the transfer machine 22 and the traveling amount of the chain 221 and moving with a sign. By accumulating the amount and the traveling amount, the locations of the transfer machine 22 and the attachment 222 are grasped at any time.

Below, operation | movement of the control part 7 in the cultivation apparatus mentioned above is demonstrated using the flowchart which shows it.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the CPU 71 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and each of FIGS. 11 to 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the CPU 71 related to a storage, carry-out and lowering subroutine. . CPU71 performs the process shown to FIGS. 10-13 according to the control program previously stored in ROM72, in order to implement | achieve the function of a cultivation apparatus. The main routine of FIG. 10 is started, for example, once a day before the worker's working hours. Time information is acquired from the timer 74. The processing of each subroutine is executed in cooperation with the processing executed by the operator.

  When the process of FIG. 10 is activated, the CPU 71 calls and executes a subroutine related to storage (S11). Moving to FIG. 11, when a storage subroutine is called from the main routine, the CPU 71 determines whether or not there is an instruction to start storage from the operator (S31) and waits until the instruction is received (S31). S31: NO). One operator waits until the empty cultivation unit 5 is unloaded from the work station 4 after instructing the storage start from the operation display unit 8 (S21) (S22).

  When the storage start instruction is received from the operator (S31: YES), the CPU 71 moves the transfer machine 22 to the stock shelf 3 in which the empty cultivation unit 5 is stored (S32). In the case of moving the transfer device 22 in the row direction of the storage shelf 1, in the first embodiment, after the transfer device 22 is first lowered to the lowermost part of the lift guide 21, the lift guide 21 is moved together with the transfer device 22. Although it moves in the column direction, it is not limited to this. Stock information indicating whether or not an empty cultivation unit 5 is stored in each storage position of the stock shelf 3 is stored in the RAM 73. The order in which the empty cultivation unit 5 is taken out first from which storage position may be arbitrary, and may follow a method such as first-in first-out (first-in first-out), last-in first-out (last-in first-out). .

  Next, the CPU 71 unloads the empty cultivation unit 5 from the stock shelf 3 (S33), transfers it to the transfer machine 22, updates the stock information stored in the RAM 73 (S34), and then toward the work station 4. The transfer machine 22 is moved (S35), and the transferred cultivation unit 5 is transferred to the work station 4 and unloaded (S36).

  When one worker confirms that the empty cultivation unit 5 has been unloaded to the work station 4 and finishes the standby, the medium 6 in which leaf lettuce seedlings are planted in advance is grown in the empty cultivation unit 5. After placing on the tray 52 (S23), the operation display unit 8 notifies the completion of placement (S25). Next, the operator determines whether or not the placement of all the prepared culture media 6 has been completed (S26), and if not completed (S26: NO), the empty cultivation unit 5 is then unloaded. It waits again until it is done (S22). When the placement of all the culture media 6 is completed (S26: YES), the operator instructs the end of storage from the operation display unit 8 (S27), and then ends the operation shown in FIG.

  After the process of step S36, the CPU 71 determines whether or not there is a notification of completion of placement of the culture medium 6 (S37), and waits for the notification (S37: NO), and when there is a notification (S37). : YES), the cultivation unit 5 is unloaded (S38) and transferred to the transfer machine 22. Thereafter, the CPU 71 moves the transfer machine 22 to the uppermost stage (15th stage) of the storage shelf 1 aiming at an empty storage position (S39). Storage information indicating whether or not the cultivation unit 5 is stored in each storage position of the storage shelf 1 is stored in the RAM 73. The destination of the transfer machine 22 may be determined in the order of the column numbers appropriately assigned to all 12 columns of the storage shelf 1 or may be determined regardless of the order of the columns.

  Next, the CPU 71 stores the transferred cultivation unit 5 by transferring it from the transfer machine 22 to the empty storage position shelf (S40) and updating the storage information stored in the RAM 73 (S41). The liquid supply valve 12 is opened (S42), and the supply of nutrient solution to the 15th stage cultivation unit 5 is started. As shown in FIG. 8, the solution supplied to the cultivation unit 5 is discharged from the 15th drainage pipe 13.

  Thereafter, the CPU 71 determines whether or not there has been an instruction to end storage from the operator (S43), and if there is an instruction (S43: YES), the CPU 71 returns to the main routine of FIG. When there is no instruction to end storage (S43: NO), the CPU 71 determines whether or not there is an empty storage position in the uppermost stage (15th stage) of the storage shelf 1 (S44), and when there is no empty (S44). : NO), return to the main routine. When there is an empty space (S44: YES), the CPU 71 returns the process to step S32 in order to store the cultivation unit 5 in the uppermost stage of the other column of the storage shelf 1.

  Returning to FIG. 10, when returning from the storage subroutine, the CPU 71 calls and executes the unloading subroutine (S12). Moving to FIG. 12, when a subroutine related to unloading is called from the main routine, the CPU 71 determines whether or not there is an unloading start instruction from the operator (S61) and waits until the instruction is received (S61). S61: NO). One worker waits until the cultivation unit 5 in which the leaf lettuce of the medium 6 has grown is unloaded onto the work station 4 after instructing the start of carrying out from the operation display unit 8 (S51) (S52).

  When there is an instruction to start unloading from the operator (S61: YES), the CPU 71 closes the lowermost (first stage) liquid supply valve 12 in which the cultivation unit 5 is housed (S62). The liquid supply valves 12 to be closed may be determined in the order of the column numbers appropriately assigned to all the 12 columns of the storage shelf 1 or may be determined regardless of the order of the columns. Since it takes approximately 1 minute to complete the discharge of the nutrient solution from the cultivation unit 5 where the supply of liquid has been stopped, it may wait for 1 minute at this stage, and especially in anticipation of the movement time of the transfer machine 22 It is not necessary to provide a waiting time.

  Thereafter, the CPU 71 moves the transfer machine 22 to the lowermost stage (first stage) of the storage shelf 1 (S63), aiming at the storage position where the liquid supply valve 12 is closed immediately before (S63), and moves the cultivation unit 5 to the lowermost stage. Unload from the shelf (S64) and transfer to the transfer machine 22. Then, after updating the storage information stored in the RAM 73 (S65), the CPU 71 moves the transfer machine 22 toward the work station 4 (S66), and loads the transferred cultivation unit 5 onto the work station 4 for loading. (S67).

  When one worker confirms that the cultivation unit 5 has been unloaded to the work station 4 and finishes the standby, the operator 6 takes out the culture medium 6 from the unloaded cultivation unit 5 (S53), and then displays the operation. A notification of completion of extraction is sent from the unit 8 (S55). Next, the operator determines whether or not all the mediums 6 have been taken out (S56). If not completed (S56: NO), the operator returns to step S52 to unload the next cultivation unit 5. Wait until it is done. When the removal of all the culture media 6 is completed (S56: YES), the operator instructs the end of unloading from the operation display unit 8 (S57), and then ends the operation shown in FIG.

  After the process of step S67, the CPU 71 determines whether or not there is a notification of completion of the removal of the culture medium 6 (S68) and waits for the notification (S68: NO), and when there is a notification (S68: (YES), the cultivation unit 5 which has become empty is unloaded (S69) and transferred to the transfer machine 22. Next, the CPU 71 moves the transfer machine 22 to the stock shelf 3 aiming at an empty storage position (S70), and transfers and transfers the transferred empty cultivation unit 5 from the transfer machine 22 to the stock shelf 3 (S71). ), Stock information stored in the RAM 73 is updated (S72).

  Thereafter, the CPU 71 determines whether or not there has been an instruction to end carry-out from the worker (S73), and if there is an instruction (S73: YES), the CPU 71 returns to the main routine of FIG. When there is no instruction to end unloading (S73: NO), the CPU 71 determines whether or not the cultivation unit 5 is present at the lowermost stage of the storage shelf 1 (S74), and if not (S74: NO), the main routine is entered. Return. When there is the cultivation unit 5 (S74: YES), the CPU 71 returns the process to step S62 in order to carry out the cultivation unit 5 from the lowermost stage of the other row of the storage shelf 1.

  Returning to FIG. 10, when returning from the subroutine related to carrying out, the CPU 71 calls and executes the subroutine related to lowering (S13). Moving to FIG. 13, when a subroutine for lowering is called from the main routine, the CPU 71 closes all the liquid supply valves 12 for one row of the storage shelf 1 (S81) and stops the supply of the nutrient solution. . At this stage, since the first stage liquid supply valve 12 is already closed, the 15th stage and 14th stage liquid supply valves 12 are closed. The column in which the liquid supply valve 12 is to be closed may be determined in the order of the column numbers appropriately assigned to all 12 columns of the storage shelf 1 or may be determined regardless of the sequence of the columns.

  Thereafter, the CPU 71 waits for 15 minutes in anticipation of the time until the nutrient solution is discharged from all the cultivation units 5 in the row where the liquid supply valve 12 is closed (S82). As described above, since it takes approximately 1 minute to complete the discharge of the nutrient solution from one cultivation unit 5, the nutrient solution supplied from the fourteenth-stage supply pipe 11 is here between the stages. The total time until the liquid is discharged from the second-stage drainage pipe 13 via the gutter 14 is 15 minutes with a margin of 13 minutes. When the standby for 15 minutes is completed, the CPU 71 moves the transfer machine 22 to the level one higher than the lowest level (second level) in the row where the supply of nutrient solution is stopped (S83).

  After that, the CPU 71 unloads the cultivation unit 5 from the shelf of the transfer destination stage of the transfer machine 22 (S84), loads it onto the transfer machine 22, and updates the storage information stored in the RAM 73 (S85). The transfer machine 22 is moved to the next lower stage (S86). Then, the CPU 71 stores the transferred cultivation unit 5 by transferring it from the transfer machine 22 to the shelf of the destination stage (S87), and updates the storage information stored in the RAM 73 again (S88).

  Next, the CPU 71 determines whether or not the destination of the transfer machine 22 is the next lowermost stage (14th stage) (S89), and if it is not the 14th stage (S89: NO), The transfer machine 22 is moved to the next higher stage (S90), and the process is moved to step S84 in order to continue the lowering of the cultivation unit 5 in the row. When the transfer destination of the transfer machine 22 is the 14th stage (S89: YES), the CPU 71 determines whether there is another row in which the lowermost stage is empty (S91), and when there is not (S91). : NO) returns to the main routine. If there is another row in which the bottom row is empty (S91: YES), the CPU 71 shifts the processing to step S81 in order to perform step-down for all the cultivation units 5 in the other row.

  Returning to FIG. 10, when returning from the step-down subroutine, the CPU 71 ends all the series of processes shown in FIG. 10.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the cultivation unit placed on the work station is transferred to and stored in the empty storage position on the upper stage of the storage shelf, and the cultivation unit stored in the lower stage of the storage shelf is taken out. Then, each cultivation unit stored in the storage shelf is transferred from the storage position close to the lowest level to the lower storage position and lowered. Then, the cycle consisting of storage, unloading, and lowering is repeated for the number of storage shelves.
Accordingly, when a cultivation unit in which seedlings of plants to be stored in the storage shelf are planted in the medium is appropriately prepared in the work station, the cultivation unit in which the plant of the medium has grown by repeating the above cycle is And then transferred to the work station.
Therefore, it is possible to perform comprehensively from efficient storage and growth of plant seedlings to carrying out grown plants. Furthermore, the preparation work of the seedling by hand and the shipping work of the growing stock, and the storage and unloading of the cultivation unit by the transfer mechanism can be performed in parallel, so that the operation rate of the cultivation apparatus can be improved.

Further, the cultivation unit is transferred from the work station to the empty storage position at the uppermost stage of the storage shelf and stored, and the cultivation unit stored at the lowermost stage of the storage shelf is unloaded and transferred to the work station.
Therefore, it is possible to use all the storage shelves without waste.

Furthermore, an empty cultivation unit on which no medium is placed is unloaded from the stock shelf and transferred to the work station, and the worker places the medium on the transferred cultivation unit.
Therefore, it is possible to prepare a cultivation unit in which plant seedlings are planted in a culture medium at a work station for each cycle including storage, unloading, and lowering.

Furthermore, the operator takes out the culture medium from the cultivation unit that has been transported from the lower stage of the storage shelf and transferred to the work station, and the cultivation unit that has been emptied by taking out the culture medium is transferred to the stock shelf for storage.
Accordingly, since the culture medium is appropriately taken out from the cultivation unit transferred to the work station for each cycle consisting of storing, carrying out, and lowering, it becomes possible to stock the cultivation unit that has become empty on the stock shelf.

Furthermore, the medium is placed on the empty cultivation unit transferred to the work station and the medium is taken out from the cultivation unit transferred to the work station during the daytime.
As a result, a part or all of the step-down process that occupies most of the processing time can be directed to a time zone other than the daytime, so that an operator who places and removes the culture medium from the cultivation unit during the daytime. It becomes possible to work without difficulty.

Furthermore, the cultivation unit in which the leaf lettuce of the medium is grown is transferred to the same position as the work station where the cultivation unit in which the leaf lettuce seedling is planted in the medium is placed.
Thereby, it is possible to efficiently perform the preparation for storing the medium in the storage shelf and the processing after the carrying out at the same position.

Furthermore, after the cultivation unit is transferred from the work station to the empty storage position of the uppermost stage (15th stage) of the storage shelf and stored, the 15th stage liquid supply valve is opened and the lowermost stage (first stage) of the storage shelf is opened. The first stage liquid supply valve is closed before unloading the cultivation unit stored in the container and transferred to the work station, the 15th stage and the 14th stage liquid supply valves are closed before the lowering, and the first stage after the lowering. Open the 14th and 1st stage supply valves.
Therefore, each time the cultivation unit is stored in the upper stage of the storage shelf, the feeding of the nutrient solution to the stored cultivation unit is started, and each time the cultivation unit is carried out from the lower stage of the storage shelf, the nutrient solution for the cultivation unit to be carried out Stop supplying water, stop supplying nutrient solution to all cultivation units in the row to be lowered before lowering, and supply nutrient solution to all cultivation units in the row to be lowered after lowering. It is possible to resume.

(Embodiment 2)
While Embodiment 1 is a form in which the cultivation unit 5 is unloaded from the lowermost stage after the cultivation unit 5 is stored in the uppermost stage of the storage shelf 1, the second embodiment starts from the lowermost stage of the storage shelf 1. After carrying out the cultivation unit 5, it is the form which accommodates the cultivation unit 5 in the uppermost stage.
FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the CPU 71 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The main routine of FIG. 14 is activated, for example, once a day before the worker's working hours. The subroutine processing is executed in cooperation with the processing executed by the operator.

  When the process of FIG. 14 is started, the CPU 71 calls and executes a subroutine related to unloading / storing (S111). Moving to FIG. 15, when a subroutine related to unloading / storing is called from the main routine, the CPU 71 determines whether there is an instruction to start unloading / storing from the operator (S 161) and waits for the instruction. (S161: NO). One worker instructs the operation display unit 8 to start carrying out and storing (S151), and then waits until the cultivation unit 5 in which the leaf lettuce of the culture medium 6 has been grown is unloaded to the work station 4 (S152). .

  When there is an instruction to start unloading / storage from the operator (S161: YES), the CPU 71 closes the lowermost (first stage) liquid supply valve 12 in which the cultivation unit 5 is stored (S162). The processing from step S163 to step S167 below is the same as the processing from step S63 to step S67 shown in FIG.

  When one worker confirms that the cultivation unit 5 has been unloaded to the work station 4 and finishes the standby, the medium 6 is taken out from the unloaded cultivation unit 5 (S153). Thereafter, the operator notifies the completion of the update of the culture medium 6 from the operation display unit 8 after placing the culture medium 6 in which leaf lettuce seedlings are planted in advance on the cultivation tray 52 of the empty cultivation unit 5 (S154). (S155).

  Next, the operator determines whether or not the update of all the culture media 6 has been completed (S156). If not completed (S156: NO), the operator returns to step S152 to unload the next cultivation unit 5. Wait until it is done. When the update of all the culture media 6 is completed (S156: YES), the operator instructs the end of unloading / storage from the operation display unit 8 (S157), and then ends the operation shown in FIG.

  After the process of step S167, the CPU 71 determines whether or not there is a notification of the completion of the update of the culture medium 6 (S168), and waits for the notification (S168: NO). If there is a notification (S168: YES), the cultivation unit 5 in which the culture medium 6 has been updated is unloaded (S138) and transferred to the transfer machine 22. The following processing from step S139 to step S142 is the same as the processing from step S39 to step S42 shown in FIG.

  After the process of step S142, the CPU 71 determines whether or not there has been an instruction to end carry-out / storage from the worker (S173), and if there is an instruction (S173: YES), the CPU 71 returns to the main routine of FIG. . When there is no instruction to end carry-out / storage (S173: NO), the CPU 71 determines whether or not there is the cultivation unit 5 at the lowest level of the storage shelf 1 (S174), and when there is not (S174: NO), the main Return to routine. When there is the cultivation unit 5 (S174: YES), the CPU 71 returns the processing to step S162 in order to carry out the cultivation unit 5 from the lowermost stage of the other row of the storage shelf 1.

  Returning to FIG. 14, when the CPU 71 returns from the subroutine related to unloading / storing, the CPU 71 calls and executes the subroutine related to lowering (S113). The subroutine related to step down is the same as that in the first embodiment. When the process returns from the step-down subroutine, the CPU 71 ends all the series of processes shown in FIG.

  In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the location corresponding to Embodiment 1, and the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the cultivation unit stored in the lower stage of the storage shelf is unloaded and transferred to the work station, the medium is taken out from the transferred cultivation unit, and a new medium is placed. The cultivation unit on which the culture medium is placed is transferred to the empty storage position in the upper stage of the storage shelf and stored, and each cultivation unit stored in the storage shelf is sequentially transferred from the storage position near the bottom to the lower storage position. Step down. Then, the cycle consisting of storage, unloading, and lowering is repeated for the number of storage shelves.
Therefore, the cultivation unit in which the plant of the medium has grown by repeating the above cycle is transferred from the lower stage of the storage shelf to the predetermined position, and the medium is taken out at the predetermined position and the new medium on which the seedling is planted is placed. Can be done.

  In Embodiments 1 and 2, starting from one work station 4 and starting point, the cultivation unit 5 is stored in the storage shelf 1 and the cultivation unit 5 is unloaded from the storage shelf 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and storage and unloading may be performed using separate work stations as starting and ending points. One shelf included in the storage shelf 1 may be used as a work station.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, the accumulation of errors is not particularly taken into account for integrating the movement amounts of the transfer machine 22 in the row direction and the vertical direction. Thus, the transfer machine 22 may be appropriately moved to the work station 4 and information indicating the location of the transfer machine 22 may be initialized each time.

  Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the process is performed in response to an instruction and notification from the worker, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the process may be automatically performed appropriately. Good.

  Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the water supply valve 12 of the other row is closed after the lowering of one row is completed in the lowering subroutine, but in the middle of the lowering of one row. By closing the sheet feed valves 12 in the other rows, the waiting time for 15 minutes before lowering the other rows may be shortened.

  The embodiment disclosed this time is to be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the meanings described above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Storage shelf 12 Liquid supply valve 2 Transfer mechanism 22 Transfer machine 3 Stock shelf 4 Work station (1st position, 2nd position)
5 Cultivation Unit 52 Cultivation Tray 6 Medium 7 Control Unit 71 CPU
72 ROM
73 RAM

Claims (9)

A cultivation unit on which a medium for planting plants is placed, a storage shelf for storing the cultivation unit in a plurality of stages and one or a plurality of rows, a plurality of positions including a storage position of the storage shelf and a position other than the storage shelf In the method of cultivating the plant with a cultivation device comprising a transfer mechanism for transferring the cultivation unit between,
A storage step of transferring the cultivation unit from the first position to the empty storage position at the top of the storage shelf;
An unloading step of transferring the cultivation unit stored in the lowermost stage of the storage shelf to a second position;
A step of lowering each cultivation unit stored in the storage shelf sequentially from a storage position close to the lowest level to a lower storage position. The cultivation apparatus includes a stock shelf for stocking empty cultivation units,
Transferring the empty cultivation unit from the stock shelf to the first position;
Cultivation method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a step of placing said medium in a free cultivation units transferred in about該工. Removing the culture medium from the cultivation unit transferred to the second position in the unloading step;
The cultivation method of Claim 2 including the process of transferring the empty cultivation unit from which the said culture medium was taken out by this process to the said stock shelf. The cultivation method according to claim 3 , wherein the step of placing the medium and the step of removing the medium are performed during a daytime. The cultivation method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the first position and the second position are the same position. The storage shelf includes a liquid supply valve for supplying nutrient solution to the cultivation unit on each of the upper stage, the lower stage one below the upper stage, and the lower stage below the upper stage,
Open the upper liquid supply valve after the storing step,
Close the lower liquid supply valve before the unloading step,
Before the step of lowering, the liquid supply valve of the upper stage and the stage one step below the upper stage is closed,
The cultivation method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein, after the step-down step, the lower stage and the liquid supply valve of the lower stage are opened. A cultivation unit on which a medium for planting plants is placed, a storage shelf for storing the cultivation unit in a plurality of stages and one or a plurality of rows, a plurality of positions including a storage position of the storage shelf and a position other than the storage shelf In the method of cultivating the plant with a cultivation device comprising a transfer mechanism for transferring the cultivation unit between,
Transferring the cultivation unit stored in the lowermost stage of the storage shelf to a predetermined position;
Removing the medium from the cultivation unit transferred in the step and placing a new medium; and
Transferring the cultivation unit on which a new medium is placed in the step to an empty storage position at the top of the storage shelf;
And a step of sequentially transferring each cultivation unit stored in the storage shelf from a storage position close to the lowest level to a storage position below. A cultivation unit on which a medium for planting plants is placed, a storage shelf for storing the cultivation unit in a plurality of stages and one or a plurality of rows, a plurality of positions including a storage position of the storage shelf and a position other than the storage shelf In a cultivation apparatus provided with a transfer mechanism for transferring the cultivation unit between,
The transfer mechanism is
Storage means for transferring the cultivation unit from the first position to an empty storage position at the top of the storage shelf;
Unloading means for transferring the cultivation unit stored in the lowermost stage of the storage shelf to a second position;
A cultivation device comprising: means for sequentially transferring each cultivation unit stored in the storage shelf from a storage position close to the lowest level to a storage position below. Stock shelves for stocking empty cultivation units,
Means for transferring the empty cultivation unit from the stock shelf to a first position;
The cultivation apparatus according to claim 8 , comprising means for transferring an empty cultivation unit from the second position to the stock shelf.

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